A vandalised portion of the platform. (Express Photo by Rana Simranjit Singh) A vandalised portion of the platform. (Express Photo by Rana Simranjit Singh)

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Tuesday ordered the relocation of two set of statues of folk dancers from the Heritage Street in vicinity of the Golden Temple, days after they were vandalised by a group of people. Amarinder also asked the Punjab police chief to review the cases registered against the seven Sikh youths accused of the alleged vandalism and withdraw the stringent sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) slapped against them.

“Taking into account the sentiments of the Sikh community which had taken exception to the statues of folk dancers at the Heritage Street in the vicinity of the holy Darbar Sahib Amritsar, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered the Cultural Affairs Department to shift and relocate the same to some other appropriate place in Amritsar,” a statement issued by state government said.

The Bhangra and Giddha diorama was installed by the previous SAD-BJP government in October 2016 on the pedestrian path of the Heritage Street. “The statues had been vandalised by a group of youth on January 15 in a fit of emotional outburst”, the statement quoting the CM said.

The youths were objected to the installation of statues, displaying Bhangra and Giddha, close to the precincts of the Golden Temple. They had broken parts of platforms on which these statues were erected. Some people protesting over the location of statues, claimed they violated Sikh religious sentiments as they were installed near the Golden Temple.

“Taking a lenient view of the youngsters involved in the vandalism, the CM has also directed the DGP to review the cases registered against the seven accused protestors and withdraw the stringent sections of IPC registered against them. The actions of the youth were not malicious but a reflection of the pain felt by the Sikh community which felt hurt at the statues, displaying Bhangra and Giddha, being located close to the precincts of the holy Gurdwara Sahib,” the statement added.india

As per the police nine youth had vandalised the statues. Cases against the accused were registered under sections 307, 434, 427, 353, 186, 148, 149 of IPC and under section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act,1984.

Following the vandalism, the Akal Takht, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Shiromani Ragi Sabha (including Kirtanis of Golden Temple), Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Shiromani Dhadi Sabha and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committees, had come out in the support of the accused arrested by police.

The Jathedar of Akal Takht has already formed a three-member committee to pursue the relocation of statues to some other place in Amritsar.

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