Nehru statue uprooted in Cachar: Sushmita Dev demands immediate probe, calls it ‘national shame’

Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev has written to Cachar District Commissioner Ayush Garg, IAS, demanding an immediate police enquiry and prosecution following the alleged dismantling of a statue of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at Pailapool Chowrangi in Lakhipur.

In her letter dated February 25, the All India Trinamool Congress leader stated that the statue was uprooted late at night on February 23 using heavy machinery, reportedly including an excavator. The act was allegedly captured on CCTV cameras and has triggered outrage among residents of the Lakhipur area.

Dev termed the incident a “national shame” and said destruction of public property is a criminal offence. She cautioned that merely reinstalling the statue without conducting a thorough investigation and prosecuting those responsible would embolden future acts of vandalism.

The MP urged the district administration to follow due legal process, identify the culprits through proper investigation, and ensure strict action under the law. She further demanded that the statue be reinstalled at the same location without delay and at the cost of the administration.

Highlighting Cachar’s tradition of honouring leaders across party lines, Dev said the district takes pride in having statues of prominent political and non-political personalities, and such incidents must be prevented at any cost.

There has been no official statement yet from the district administration regarding the alleged vandalism.