Gandhi Statue In London Vandalised Days Before Jayanti, India Condemns ‘Shameful Act’
The iconic statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London was vandalised on Monday, just days before his birth anniversary on October 2, prompting a strong condemnation from the Indian High Commission. The plinth of the bronze statue, which depicts the Father of the Nation in a meditative pose, was defaced with disturbing graffiti, a “shameful act” that the Indian mission has called “a violent attack on the idea of non-violence”.
In a sharply worded statement, the High Commission of India in London expressed its deep sadness and said it has taken up the matter “strongly with local authorities for immediate action”. “This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of non-violence, three days before the International Day of Non-Violence, and on the legacy of the Mahatma,” the mission stated on X .
Officials from the High Commission are already on-site, coordinating with authorities to restore the monument to its “original dignity” ahead of the planned Gandhi Jayanti commemorations.The annual commemoration of Gandhi Jayanti, which is also recognised as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations, is held at the Tavistock Square statue with floral tributes and the singing of Gandhiji’s favourite bhajans. The Metropolitan Police and the local Camden Council have confirmed that they are looking into the reports of vandalism.
The bronze statue, sculpted by Fredda Brilliant, was unveiled in 1968 and has since become a focal point of London’s “peace park”. The square, which is near University College London where Gandhi studied law, also houses memorials to the victims of the Hiroshima bombing and to conscientious objectors. The act of desecration has drawn widespread criticism, with many seeing it as a targeted attack on the principles of peace and non-violence that Gandhi represents..
