A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized and stolen in Rowville, Melbourne, Australia, prompting India to raise the matter strongly with the country’s authorities.
The statue was cut from its base using an angle grinder, leaving only the feet.Ministry of Foreign Affairs Condemned the incidentwhile calling on Australian authorities to restore the statue and hold those responsible accountable.
The 426kg bronze statue, located at the Australian Indian Community Center in Rowville, was stolen in the early hours of January 12, Australia Today reported.
The statue was cut from its base using an angle grinder, leaving only the feet. The bronze statue was then allegedly broken into pieces and stolen, reports Australia Today.
The statue was vandalized soon after its inaugurationThe Mahatma Gandhi statue was a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi and was inaugurated by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2021 as a symbol of the strong relationship between India and Australia.
However, the statue was targeted and vandalized in November 2021 within a day of its inauguration, drawing condemnation from both India and Australia. However, no public arrests were made at the time, Australia Today reported.
As reported by Australia Today, the earlier instance of vandalism occurred at a time of heightened tensions linked to Khalistan-related extremist activities, which have also previously targeted diplomatic missions, community sites and symbols associated with India in several Western countries.
India has strongly condemned the incident, and an investigation is underway”We strongly condemn the vandalism and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Australian Indian Community Center in Rowville, Melbourne, by unidentified persons,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question on the matter.
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Jaiswal said that the MEA has “strongly raised the matter with the Australian authorities and requested them to take immediate action. Provision for missing recovery Erect statues and hold the guilty accountable.”
Meanwhile, Victoria Police’s Knox Crime Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the incident. In a statement to Australia Today, police said the statue was stolen by three unidentified men from the charity’s premises in Kingsley Close, Rowville, at about 12.50am.
Police have warned scrap metal dealers to be on the lookout for anyone trying to sell the bronze statue, and urged them to report any suspicious activity immediately.
