Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday condemned the vandalism of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Rowville, Melbourne, urging immediate action against those responsible.
“We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, by unidentified people,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a media query.
Jaiswal said that India had “raised the matter strongly with Australian authorities”, urging them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable.
426-kg bronze Mahatma Gandhi statue stolen
The bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which was installed outside the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, was stolen in the early hours of January 12, Australia Today reported.
The 426-kg statue was a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, which was inaugurated by former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}The 426-kg statue was a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, which was inaugurated by former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}The Victoria Police Knox Crime Investigation Unit have launched an investigation into the theft, which has prompted renewed concern within Melbourne’s Indian-Australian community, according to Australia Today.
The police, in a statement provided to Australia Today, said the statue was stolen by three unknown individuals from the charity premises on Kingsley Close, Rowville, at approximately 12.50 am. With probe underway in the matter, police has warned scrap metal dealers to remain alert for anyone who attempts to sell the bronze statue, and have urged them to report any suspicious activity immediately.
What is known about the incident?
Santosh Kumar, a committee member at the Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust, told CNBC TV18 that the crime was “partially visible” on the building's CCTV, and had been reported the next day.
“We are sorry to see the statue of a national leader is gone...a white van came with people covered in balaclavas...details have been passed on to police,” Kumar said.
Senior Opposition figures in Victoria have condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the Indian-Australian community. Evan Mulholland, shadow minister for multicultural and multifaith affairs, called the incident deeply distressing and said it undermines the sense of safety that multicultural communities should feel, according to Australia Today.