Ambedkar statues damaged under deep-rooted conspiracy: Warring

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday alleged that statues of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar were damaged in the state as part of a “deep-rooted conspiracy”, which he said, his party would expose.

“This did not happen even during days of terrorism in Punjab. We are investigating this,” he told Congress workers at the party’s “Samvidhan Bachao Rally” in Shamchurasi here.

The statement has come following a string of such incidents in the state. An alleged desecration of an Ambedkar statue was reported recently from a village in Hoshiarpur’s Garhshankar.

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had claimed responsibility for the incidents.

Warring also slammed the Punjab Government’s recently launched land pooling policy, terming it an attempt to “loot” the state, an allegation repeatedly being levelled by the Opposition parties.

The Opposition has alleged that its implementation would result in large-scale corruption by ruling AAP leaders, contrary to the government claim that it would spur urban development with farmers ending up getting plots of higher value in return of the land contributed by them.

“Wherever farmers would not be willing to part with their land under the scheme, the entire Congress would stand firmly with them and won’t allow the land to be acquired,” Warring said opposing the scheme that has been rolled out for 27 urban centres.

He also slammed ruling AAP for increasing debt on the state, which Warring said had already touched Rs 4.25 lakh crore.

‘Large-scale corruption

in mining sector’

Addressing the party workers, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa accused AAP leaders of indulging in a “large-scale loot” in the mining sector.

“Family members of ministers and legislators collect money from those involved in mining,” he alleged.

Punjab