Clash Erupts in Hoshiarpur Over Ambedkar Statue Dispute; BJP Leader Vijay Sampla Hurt
A dispute over an allegedly tampered Ambedkar statue in Hoshiarpur's Barian Kalan village escalated into a clash between BJP and BSP workers, leaving BJP leader Vijay Sampla with minor injuries.
Tension gripped Barian Kalan village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district on Wednesday after a confrontation broke out between BJP and BSP workers at a site where a protest was already underway over alleged tampering with a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Police had earlier registered an FIR in connection with the alleged desecration of the statue. BSP workers were staging a demonstration at the spot when senior BJP leader and former Union minister Vijay Sampla arrived in the village, accompanied by Punjab BJP SC Morcha president Sheetal Angural and Hoshiarpur BJP district president Nitin Gupta Nannu.
According to available information, an argument erupted between the two sides following alleged remarks against Sampla, which quickly escalated into a minor clash between the workers. Sampla was reportedly injured in the altercation and sustained scratches.
Police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. DSP Chabbewal Bharat Saini said the situation is now peaceful and under control, and additional police personnel have been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure.
Investigators are looking into the original incident involving the Ambedkar statue and are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area to identify those responsible. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.
BJP Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon condemned both the alleged desecration of the Ambedkar statue and the reported attack on BJP leaders, demanding strict action against those responsible. In response, AAP leader and chairman of the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes Jasvir Singh Garhi accused the BJP of creating a ruckus at the spot, adding another political dimension to the dispute.
With allegations and counter-allegations emerging from both sides, police are now focusing on maintaining law and order while investigating both the statue incident and the subsequent clash.