Pannun’s attempt to incite hatred backfires as more statues of BR Ambedkar come up

The recent attempts by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), to incite hatred against Dr BR Ambedkar seemed to have boomeranged in this part of Malwa.

Outfits and individuals, advocating the ideologies of Ambedkar and working for the rights and interests of the downtrodden, have started installing more memorials and statues of their hero in their respective localities.

While there was only one caged statue of Dr BR Ambedkar in Malerkotla district, at least six new (statues or busts) have been set up recently, while the installation of nearly a dozen more is in the pipeline. There are other enthusiasts who have decided to install portraits of Dr Ambedkar at the venues of their respective outfits.

There was a lone statue in the region on Gaushala Road in Ahmedgarh but now there is one at Bhagat Ravidass Nagar in Malerkotla, Kup Khurad at Ranwan village, at Begowal Village, Nathumajra village, New Bus Stand and at Dasaundha Singh Wala near Sandaur.

Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Welfare Society district president Gupreet Jyoti appreciated the residents’ efforts to snub Pannu’s sinister design to instigate innocent Punjabis against the architect of the Constitution of India. “Though we have been organising functions to pay tributes to Dr Ambedkar every year, this time his followers were so enthusiastic that they decided to give a befitting reply to Pannun by installing more statues and memorials as an acceptance of the challenge by the SFJ leader,” said Jyoti.

Jyoti said all new statues were being installed at public places after taking due approval from the administration and making adequate arrangements for maintaining safety and respect for the installed memorials.

Harkomal Singh, the Sarpanch of Nathumajra village, said a statue of Dr Ambedkar had been installed with the help of enthusiasts, including some NRIs, at the public park developed by the village panchayat. Amargarh MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra chaired the function held to inaugurate the statue.

Ludhiana