Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said that vandalising of statues is akin to desecration of the country's culture and civilization.
Scindia also hit out at the BJP alleging that since the party came to power, there has been an atmosphere of intolerance in the country. Incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country have been reported in the last couple of days.
Notably, a statue of lenin was brought down at Belonia town in South Tripura on Monday with the help of a bulldozer after the BJP's victory in the Assembly elections in the north-eastern state where a 25-year-long communist government was ousted.
A statue of social reformer and founder of Dravidian movement EV Ramasamy 'Periyar' was also allegedly vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Vellore district last night. Besides, a bust of Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was also vandalised on Wednesday in south Kolkata by seven persons, including a woman, allegedly belonging to a left-wing group Radical.
When asked about the incidents in Tripura and other parts of the country after the BJP came to power, while talking to media persons, “It can be anybody's statue, but if you are demolishing statues, then you are desecrating the country's culture and civilization.” “An atmosphere of intolerance is prevailing in the country after the BJP came to power," he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly condemned incidents of vandalism of statues in certain parts of the country and warned of stern action against those found guilty. Modi also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the matter and expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, according to an official statement.
Scindia said, "I am more surprised as those who are indulging in it (referring to vandalism of statues) and those opposing it are from the same party. In both these incidents, if anyone is guilty then it is the BJP workers,” he charged, adding that "no steps are being taken to check them."
Scindia noted that a minister had earlier demanded to change the Constitution of the country and a member of the ruling dispensation termed Nathuram Godse (who had killed Mahatma Gandhi) as the biggest patriot.