A minor clash was reported over the removal of statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in Saiyapur, Jalandhar. Two groups confronted each other, leading to a mild police intervention and the detention of some individuals, including the General Secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the in-charge of Jalandhar, Balwinder Kumar. The brawl sparked over the removal of the statue of Ambedkar in Saiyapur Park. Some people demanded its removal to clear the road, and municipal employees dismantled the platform and the statue. When the BSP leaders learned about the incident, they arrived at the scene and the dispute escalated, resulting in a heated argument and even physical altercation.
Upon receiving information about the conflict, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Damanvir Singh, along with police forces from three police stations, arrived at the scene. He tried to persuade everyone to leave the area peacefully. However, instead of resolving the issue, the BSP leaders engaged in a confrontation with the police officers, accusing them of being biased towards the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Balwinder Singh and some other leaders surrounded the statue, lying on the ground, and started shouting slogans. When the police attempted to remove them, they laid down on the spot and continued their protest. Subsequently, the police used mild force to disperse and transport them into police vehicles.
Reportedly, Balwinder accused the Local Bodies Minister of orchestrating the vandalism and stated that while the ruling party advised people to follow the path of Baba Saheb, their own party workers were removing his statues. He claimed that the government’s double standards were evident. During the incident, ACP Damanvir stated that the law and order would not allow anyone to take matters into their own hands. He had received information about the dispute and attempts to demolish the statue. ACP Damanvir further mentioned that everyone was separated and the situation was brought under control.