Sipu Jha
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and the International Day of Non-Violence, the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Tavistock Square in central London, which was vandalised earlier this week, has been fully restored.Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, paid tribute to the statue on Thursday, saying, “It is particularly timely that we have this event today, not just because it is the International Day of Non-Violence and Gandhi Jayanti, but also because of what was done to the statue and its base a few days ago.”He added that the statue has stood for over 50 years as part of the architecture and fabric of India-UK friendship. Doraiswami thanked the local community and the High Commission for restoring it to a brilliant, gleaming white, conveying the message of cleanliness and renewal.He observed that the restored Mahatma Gandhi statue serves as a reminder that no one can do violence to an idea whose time has come.London High Commission in a post on X wrote: “All set to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti .”The statue, depicting Gandhi in a meditative seated pose was defaced with graffiti on Monday, just days before the annual celebrations.The Indian High Commission in London condemned the act as 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.” Authorities from the Indian mission coordinated with local officials to ensure the statue was restored to its original condition.Also Read | Three days before ‘international day of non-violence’: Mahatma Gandhi statue vandalised in London; Indian mission condemns actUnveiled in 1968 with support from the India League, the statue has long been a focal point for Gandhi Jayanti commemorations in the UK, where floral tributes are placed each year alongside Gandhiji’s favourite bhajans. The pedestal bears the inscription: “Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948,” highlighting his historic connection to London, where he studied law at University College London.
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