Congress holds candlelight marches in Delhi over Ambedkar statue vandalism

Delhi Congress president said the way Dalits and backwards are being treated in the country today is very condemnable

The Congress held candlelight marches in all 70 constituencies of Delhi on Monday against the alleged vandalism of a statue of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in Punjab's Amritsar.

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav led a march in Jahangirpuri. He said, "Such incidents are taking place wherever the BJP and the AAP are in power."  He said the way Dalits and backwards are being treated in the country today is very condemnable.

When the whole nation was celebrating the Republic Day on Sunday and everyone was paying homage to Babasaheb, a person tried to destroy his statue in Amritsar, the Delhi Congress chief stated.

Yadav alleged the vandalism was yet another instance of a complete breakdown of law and order in Punjab under the AAP government as anti-social elements and criminals were calling the shots.

The AAP government in Punjab has turned out to be an abject failure not only in maintaining law and order, but in every other aspect of governance, Yadav further alleged.

The Congress has always worked to fight for the rights of backwards, he added.

In its response, the AAP said that this incident is deeply unfortunate and deserves the strongest condemnation. The accused was arrested immediately.

It is shameful that Congress has stooped to such low and is supporting the BJP's "fake agenda". No one will be allowed to break the brotherhood of Punjab, the AAP said in its statement.

Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress also held a protest outside AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's residence over the incident.

The incident of vandalism of the statue is extremely shameful, said Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress president Akshay Lakra.

It is an attack just not on a statue but also one on his ideology and the Constitution, Lakra said.

The protesters also raised slogans and burnt a photo of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.