By Jai Birdi, Executive Director 

Chetna Association of Canada (“Chetna”)

While dissent is an acceptable, often facilitated, and essential tool for sustaining democracies, it needs to be expressed peacefully and without destroying public or private property, or using any other means of terrorism.  By creating unrest or generating fear, very little is usually gained and the public support is often lost.

The recent attack and vandalism of the statue of Baba Sahib Dr. Ambedkar in Amritsar on  the Republic Day of India, January 26, is an example of a non-effective way of expressing dissent.  The Chetna Association of Canada strongly condemns such acts of violence and terrorism which may lead to severe civil unrest.  

Reading about the response and intervention of the bystanders who asked the offender to stop the vandalism of the statue of the most popular contemporary symbol of equality and knowledge is reassuring, because it reinforces that the general public in Punjab doesn’t endorse violence or destruction of the property, let alone symbols of the nation builders and public figures.

It’s very unfortunate that such an undesirable incident had happened at Amritsar, but it’s a matter of satisfaction that the general population of Punjab do not accept such divisive ideology and actions. People of Punjab are united.

The Chetna Association of Canada has high regard for the Fathers and Sustainers of Democracy globally. It also takes significant inspiration from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Father of Indian Constitution and believes that it is because of the Constitution of India, a significant number of the marginalized communities, women, and the “third gender” have been enabled to self-develop and be contributing citizens of India.  Therefore, the Constitution of India, in the eyes of these beneficiaries, has no less value than a “Holy Book”. 

While the people have a choice to respect something, or believe in it or not, they are  responsible for respecting public sentiment.  

The Chetna Association of Canada urges the people to express dissent through the effective channels of engagement wherever they live. 

In response to this ill-intended incident that has caused a turmoil, a call for Punjab Bandh on January 28 is made. 

Given the seriousness of the crime, Chetna also urges the Punjab Police and the other authorities to take serious actions to mitigate such crimes. While the offender has now been arrested and described as a person of the “scheduled caste” community, we believe the due diligence and response needs to the heinous crime need to be taken on its own merit without consideration for the caste identity. 

The Chetna Association of Canada also urges the patrons of Dr. Ambedkar to  remain peaceful and continue to work with the relevant authorities to sustain peace and order in India.

While the incident of this heinous crime is a sad chapter, the Chetna Association of Canada extends its congratulations on the 76th Republic Day of India. 

I end this message with the following quotes of Dr. Ambedkar:

“Indeed, if I may say so, if things go wrong under the new Constitution, the reason will not be that we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to say is, that Man was vile.” – BR Ambedkar speaking to the Constituent Assembly of India, November1948.

“However good the Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good it will prove to be bad”. Therefore, providing law and procedure for its implementation may not result as desired if the persons who are implementing the same have mala fide intention or do not respect the law and its procedure.” – Dr BR Ambedkar