Ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi's statue vandalised in Punjab, Amarinder Singh blames Akali Dal

Ludhiana: A statue of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi here was vandalised on Tuesday by some persons, who Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh aclaimed, owed allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal in the state.

The chief minister has asked the police to take action in the matter and identify the perpetrators.

Paint was sprayed by the miscreants on the statue at the Salem Tabri area in Ludhiana, police said. They carried out the act in full public glare and blamed Rajiv Gandhi for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, they said.

Condemning the incident, Singh tweeted, "Strongly condemn vandalisation of Rajiv Gandhi's statue by @Akali_ Dal_ workers in Ludhiana. Have asked Police to identify the guilty & take strict action." "@officeofssbadal should apologise to people of Punjab for this obnoxious act," he posted on Twitter tagging the office of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Amarinder Singh also asked the SAD to apologise to the people of Punjab for this act. Police said the miscreants demanded that statues of Rajiv Gandhi across the country be removed and Bharat Ratna conferred on him be withdrawn.

The statue was later cleaned by some Ludhiana Congress leaders. Congress's Ludhiana president Gurpreet Singh said they have lodged a police complaint.