BJP holds protest near Pak High Commission against vandalization of Ranjit Singh's statue

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) Hundreds of BJP workers on Wednesday staged a protest near Pakistan High Commission here against vandalization of a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore.

Workers of BJP Delhi unit, Purvanchal Morcha, Yuva Morcha and Sikh Cell participated in the protest.

Saffron party workers raised slogans against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and demanded apology for the incident.

BJP Delhi president Adesh Gupta, Vice president Rajan Tewari, national spokesperson Sardar R.P. Singh, national youth wing secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and others participated in the protest.

The BJP workers gathered at Teen Murti area and marched towards Pakistan High Commission, however, Police stopped them before reaching the High Commission.

BJP Delhi Yuva Morcha president Vasu Rukhar told IANS that the Pakistan government must apologise and install a grand statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh where it was demolished in Lahore.

"We are demanding not just an apology from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan but also demanding for his assurance and arrangements to stop persecution of minorities specially of Hindus and Sikhs and desecration of their shrines and idols," Rukhar said.

As per reports, a member of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a radical group, vandalized the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh located within the Labore Fort Complex. A man responsible for vandalization of statue was detained by the local police.

It is learnt that this was for the third time the statue was vandalized since it was unveiled in 2019. The statue was unveiled on 180th death anniversary of Ranjit Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh empire who ruled the Punjab.

India has expressed concern over vandalization of statue and said that such attacks are creating a climate of fear among minority communities in Pakistan.