HYDERABAD: A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was found vandalised at Central Park in Davis California. The Indian-American community has taken exception to the vandalism has petitioned the local authorities to get a new statue erected at the same place. They have also urged that the culprits responsible for the act be booked.
The incident occurred days before the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30.
“The statue in Davis’ Central Park of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the father of the nation, India and an icon for world’s non violence and peace, who inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world has been toppled, defaced and dethroned,” an online petition started by an American Indian said.
The petition pointed out that the 6-foot-tall, 950-pound bronze statue appears to have been sawed off at the ankles and half its face was severed and missing. City staff discovered vandalism to the statue of Gandhi in Central Park the following morning, the petition explained.
It was pointed out that the Gandhi statue in Central Park stood for four years and three months before it was found toppled and broken on January 27.
Deputy chief Paul Doroshov of the Davis Police Department said the desecrated statue was found by a park worker around 9 am. Police are investigating into who would have done the damage and also the reasons.
“We peace lovers across the oldest democracy in the world demand President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom to restore the statue and investigate this heinous act and punish those responsible immediately. This is a shameful act and immediate intervention is appreciated,” the petition said.
“This is a really bad and heinous act. A clear investigation should be done on this act. We strongly condemn this. We need to get the new statue installed on the expenses of the city and proper investigation should be done by the officials to apprehend the culprits,” Srinivas Manapragada, general secretary of Telangana American Telugu Association said.