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Raja Ranjit Singh's statue vandalised in Lahore
Two men allegedly vandalised a statue of Punjab’s ruler Raja Ranjit Singh placed near his grave in Shahi Qila, Lahore.
The incident occurred on Saturday when the Qila had been routinely opened for visitors.
Two men — one pretending to have a leg disability carrying a wooden rod and another "helping him to walk" — entered the Qila.
Both men went straight to the statue and started hitting it with the wooden rods, resulting in the breakage of one of its arms and damage to other parts of the statue.
Security guards rushed to the spot and captured the attackers who were chanting slogans against the former rule of the Punjab.
Later, the attackers were handed over to the police, who registered a case against them on the complaint of Walled City Authority.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Syed Ghazanfar Shah told Dawn that the attackers were motivated and vandalised the statue "on the basis of religious biases".
He said that investigation revealed that the attackers were claiming to be reincarnations of Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi — a famous warrior in South Asian history.
He said the attackers were of the view that its against their religion to erect a statue in a Muslim country and they would repeat the act if the authorities did not remove it.
The statue of Singh was unveiled at the Lahore Fort, at the Mai Jinda’s Haveli, on June 27 — the warrior's 180th death anniversary.
The nine feet tall statue, made of cold bronze, showed the regal Sikh emperor sitting on a horse, sword in hand, complete in Sikh attire.
Comments (64) Closed
According to Newton's third law of motion in Physics, "to ever action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
In pakistan These Actions are not acceptable. Please don't turn pakistan in to India where name's of streets and roads are changed from Muslims names to Hindu name's, where Portray of MA Jinnah was took off from Ali Ghargh University.
Unfortunate.event if motive for attention then it is not right approach, if this is the frustration because of Kashmir issue again not right approach to demonstrate. There are multiple platforms where u can demonstrate your concern but off course not.this way
Please call him Maharaja and not Raja. We, Indian call him Maharaja, as he ruled over a large area of northern India ( and now Pakistani Punjab).
NOW,this is wrong!!!
What a shameful act of these self-proclaimed idiots.
Very unfortunate incident. Authorities must take strict action against guilty.
In my view, this is a basic vandalism case incited by enemies of Pakistan both within and outside and wasn't worth of unjust publicity. (The original 'Anti-Corruption_Pakistani - expressing impartial views for over 3 years).
Where was the security? This is disgraceful. We don't want to be like them in our neighbour.
Raja Ranjit Singh is a part of the heritage of Punjab. The persons who have vandalized his statue should be given exemplary punishment. We must assure our Sikh brothers and sisters all over the world that we love them and care about all the things which they respect and cherish.
Very ironic. Imran Khan or his Chief Minister should take notice. Put these ignorant religious extremists behind bars and educate them about tolerance and appreciation of heroes from other religions. It is important to teach kids in all schools especially maddressas about religious and cultural tolerance.
Sounds like they are of unsound mind or may be over-brainwashed.
Misguided elements.
It was not a good move to install it any way
This is unacceptable, no faith teaches you to act this way towards others.
Maha Raja Ranjit Singh was one of the most respected ruler of his time Entire Pakistan, entire J&K , Indian states of Punjab, Himachal and Haryana and half of Afghanistan was under his rule. People should respect such leaders of their time, he is known to be very brave and JUST ruler.
Govt should immediately repair his statue and ensure 24 hr guard.
This should not have happened. History is history and needs to be preserved, not destroyed.
Neither guys in India can wipe out what Akbar did here in his time nor guys in Pakistan can undone What Maharaja Rajit Singh did. But some time I feel taking out anger on statues is ok rather than hitting a human being. Govts should make more statues and people can hit them when angry but they should leave the people unharmed. In US they teach it as "statue based anger management".
stupid people they are they should be in jail.
Please let's not stoop to "their" level.
What these guys did was, they didn’t just vandalize the statues, they vandalized part of the history. If we allow people to do that, there wouldn’t be anything left in Pakistan or India. Very shameful act
I’m embarrassed by it as a Pakistani, and a Muslim.
Lot of respect and love in Punjab for Sikh community. It is an unacceptable act to vandalize the statue of ancestors of our brothers and sisters in Punjab. It was great to see them promoting their ancestors. Long live Pakistan and Sikh friendship.
Stupidity from across the border cannot justify stupidity on our side. The answer to hate is never more hate.
@Imtiaz Hunzai (Berlin), I thought of this answer before but you typed it first. Great thinking.
@Dawn, please follow up on who the culprits were and what motivated them to vandalize the statue. It's possible they were paid by @India to display intolerance in Pakistan.
Unacceptable. Must be heavily fined and also given jail term.
This is certainly wrong approach to show disagreement. Bigger blunder was committed by those who installed his statue in this time and age knowing well treatment during his 'raj' to symbols of Muslim heritage in Lshore alone, let alone elsewhere throughout Punjab.
Sheer nonsense There is no excuse for damaging Govt property Maharaja was a local hero and will remain a local hero No one can change the history There should not be any space for extremism in Pakistan Some time little evil become big menace.
This act at this time when Baba Guru Nank 550 birth anniversary is going to take place, alot of Sikh pilgrims will visit from all around the world is an attempt by the enemy to sabotage the event.
@Imtiaz Hunzai (Berlin), Well said brother!
@Anti Corruption Pakistani
I have been a reader of Dawn for the last fourteen years. Never found you impartial so far as India and Indians are concerned.
R.S. Menon, Gurgaon
I personally am not in favour of statues irrespective of which personality it is. it seems orientalists merely copy others, rather we should have different sculpture designs with plaques to signify historical events of personalities.
This is a cheap ploy to provoke anti sikh news and sentiment to show this up in upcoming Indian Punjab rferundum Looks like some one is really running scared of reignited love between Pakistan and India Sikh community
This is a disgusting incident and the perpetrator should be punshied severely. this shows how much awareness needs to be created in the mind sof people regarding non muslim rulers of our country.
@Np, Do you guys call mughals as badshah-e-alam? do you guys accept muslim rulers of the past who were born in india as your own rather then foreign invaders? if no then please dont lecture us.
It would be a crime if the statue was placed in a Mandir or Gurduwara for offering rituals by the Hindus or Sikhs and was vandalized. If it was placed at a public place simply due to our government's attempts to show off as the custodian of liberalism, it was an act of stupidity by the government as someone was bound to take it against our religious beliefs and therefore vandalized the same. These are two different scenarios and must be considered accordingly to determine the real cause for either attacking the religious beliefs of a minority community or antagonizing the majority in the name of liberalism.
No religion tells them to do what they did.
Very unfortunate, idols must be protected. I would like to see a new larger idol of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
This is unacceptable... perpetrators should be punished
@Imtiaz Hunzai (Berlin), look who is talking !!
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, And that means what exactly, Einstien?
From Pakistan with Love to All Sikhs !!!!!
@Imran A., great thinking
Disgusting and disgraceful act.
@Fact finder, that love was truly demonstrated in 1947!
People are naive, they cannot erase history by merely sabotaging a monument.
You got to admit, Ranjit Singh was the only true leader Punjab had produced . He gave an identity to Punjab when the rest of Indian was being gobbled by Britain.
@Imtiaz Hunzai (Berlin), your whole existence is linked with india
Shame on us if we cannot protect these statues.plz dont try to defend vandalism by any means.
Sikhs know their history very wel.
rather ironic, because its always been the Sikhs who protect the Kashmiris in India from the mobs.
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan, Do not get sectarian . Mahataja was a just king to all communities .
..... truth at last!
statue didnt last even 2 months in Naya Pakistan..
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, That is what happened in Gujarat too.
Gaznavi wasn't south asian, had nothing to do with Pakistan except for plundering it. Pathetic, that's your hero. Raja Ranjeet Singh built the Punjab you live in. Hopeless, you can't be saved.
@Pawan, There are so many roads and building in the name of Akbar. Akbar is in Indian history books and school books? Pakistan can't claim the same thing for Raja Ranjit Singh. Pathetic.
Totally unacceptable. The people who have done this deserve to be jailed for a decade at a minimum.
These attackers have threatened to repeat this act. Any security?
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, "to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" We need to think of all the actions that the beloved overlords have taken against the Americans, Russians and even the Chinese and imagine the "equal and opposite" reaction that are happening gradually for long term impact.
As a Pakistani, I condemn this act. These culprits must be given exemplary punishment by the government. A thorough investigation is required to identify, they might be anti-pakistan elements.
These ignorant people just wiped out a few hundred year old history, and gained nothing. Can someone please talk about the disrespect we show towards other faiths when we act like this.
Raja Ranjit Singh defined the borders of the Punjab that we live in today.
What a shame. Punish and fine them.