Mahatma Gandhi's statue defaced in DC, calls to remove statue in England

[Giannis]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A RACIST. STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA REMOVING GHANDI'S STATUE. <a href="https://t.co/Fvk78nS5Q9">pic.twitter.com/Fvk78nS5Q9</a></p>— MOTSWANA (@LEPARA_7) <a href="https://twitter.com/LEPARA_7/status/1271524244493602816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mahatma <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gandhi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gandhi</a> statue facing the Indian Embassy in Washington DC defaced by ’unknown’ miscreants. Unknown? I can bet who it was or was behind this shameful behaviour. <br><br>President ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> calls the act a⁩ ‘disgrace’. <a href="https://t.co/Hc6EDOCiu6">https://t.co/Hc6EDOCiu6</a></p>— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) <a href="https://twitter.com/TarekFatah/status/1270409395302731783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gandhi is cancelled. <a href="https://t.co/Rc7HAfkCWC">https://t.co/Rc7HAfkCWC</a></p>— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RitaPanahi/status/1272163019926040577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Giannis]

The younger generation now view Gandhi as a racist and a pedophile.

 

[Nostalgic]

What a relief that this is finally happening. If I had a dollar for every time he was mentioned in the same breath as MLK and Mandela and burnished the Humsaaya Mulk’s image in the eyes of gullible Westerners, I would’ve retired years ago.

 

[Giannis]

What a relief that this is finally happening. If I had a dollar for every time he was mentioned in the same breath as MLK and Mandela and burnished the Humsaaya Mulk’s image in the eyes of gullible Westerners, I would’ve retired years ago.

He's very unpopular among Gen Z and younger Millennials on social media. The propaganda no longer works.

 

[Nostalgic]

He's very unpopular among Gen Z and younger Millennials on social media. The propaganda no longer works.

Thanks, that is gratifying to know.

 

[sweep_shot]

We have already entered a new chapter in history. Old days are gone. Society now has brand new directions.

 

[Babu Bhaiya]

What a relief that this is finally happening. If I had a dollar for every time he was mentioned in the same breath as MLK and Mandela and burnished the Humsaaya Mulk’s image in the eyes of gullible Westerners, I would’ve retired years ago.

Thank God you don’t have a dollar.

 

[JaDed]

We have already entered a new chapter in history. Old days are gone. Society now has brand new directions.

And you are not going to like them coz its alt-left. I atleast agree socially with them just not economically.

 

[JaDed]

He's very unpopular among Gen Z and younger Millennials on social media. The propaganda no longer works.

So is religion.

 

[El Generico]

It’s funny to see that a lot of people in social media are shocked by this. Isn’t it common knowledge by know that Gandhi made extremely racist comments?

 

[sweep_shot]

And you are not going to like them coz its alt-left. I atleast agree socially with them just not economically.

I am allergic to Generation Z (with occasional exceptions) and Alt-Left. That's correct.

I am also allergic to Alt-Right.

I love middle ground. I love how things were before.

 

[El Generico]

So is religion.

How is this relevant to this thread? It’s funny that two Indian posters have posted in this thread and both have said nothing about Gandhi’s racist comments.

 

[JaDed]

I always wondered growing up that is it because of Mr.Gandhi that Indians didn't win independence through a war and violence?India would had been had we achieved freedom through Bose's method over this man.

If anything universe has taught us its about how strong and smart win(PLA,USA), always wondered how
Mr. Gandhi was always hated among Punjabis and Bengalis and was slowly losing respect across India as well except for obvious non-violent Indians, the new generation clearly doesn't have the patience to wait and fight long over drawn protests.

History was never going to be kind to weak leaders but atleast Pakistanis can be amused by his fall, its also a falling of pacifist Indians that overseas Pakistanis always made fun of saying- meek etc.

 

[JaDed]

How is this relevant to this thread? It’s funny that two Indian posters have posted in this thread and both have said nothing about Gandhi’s racist comments.

What do you want me to say ? Write it down.

 

[Slog]

It seems many Indians themselves don’t really care and prop up some savarkar guy or a Patel guy who had a role in early Indian independent government...

As for an Indian it’s not a good development I guess. Gandhi is seen as a man of ideals and a very positive figure in the west and due to him, India as a country gets a lot of goodwill amongst the western youth when they study him in school. This goodwill will no longer be there in the future if his real beliefs become known in the mainstream.

 

[Giannis]

It seems many Indians themselves don’t really care and prop up some savarkar guy or a Patel guy who had a role in early Indian independent government...

As for an Indian it’s not a good development I guess. Gandhi is seen as a man of ideals and a very positive figure in the west and due to him, India as a country gets a lot of goodwill amongst the western youth when they study him in school. This goodwill will no longer be there in the future if his real beliefs become known in the mainstream.

BLM already want him out the textbooks

 

[JaDed]

It seems many Indians themselves don’t really care and prop up some savarkar guy or a Patel guy who had a role in early Indian independent government...

As for an Indian it’s not a good development I guess. Gandhi is seen as a man of ideals and a very positive figure in the west and due to him, India as a country gets a lot of goodwill amongst the western youth when they study him in school. This goodwill will no longer be there in the future if his real beliefs become known in the mainstream.

This goodwill also makes Indians meek and I have seen you say that as well as how Indians overseas are "accepting" of anything and don't fight.

 

[Robert]

It’s funny to see that a lot of people in social media are shocked by this. Isn’t it common knowledge by know that Gandhi made extremely racist comments?

Not to me. I have always thought he was like Mandela, a great liberator. Maybe due to the Attenborough film.

 

[Syed1]

Must be ISI sajish as well... Pakeesthani vayuu bimaan ka hamla.... Ab tiddi dal ke baad Pakeesthan ki Gandhi ji ke pratima pe halma. Watch tonight on Republic TV the nation wants to know

 

[Local.Dada]

More than Indians reacting to this,I am let down that there is no protest in Pakistan because since Modi/Shah/Yogi and co have taken over they seemed to have found new found respect for Gandhiji and Chacha Nehru.

Very disappointed.

 

[JaDed]

Must be ISI sajish as well... Pakeesthani vayuu bimaan ka hamla.... Ab tiddi dal ke baad Pakeesthan ki Gandhi ji ke pratima pe halma. Watch tonight on Republic TV the nation wants to know

Don't think so, go check the fb comments which you do to generalize Indians, look what they are saying "coward" take off his statue etc etc.. in India we should do the same etc etc.

There is a reason why Godse has become a hero to a few.

 

[JaDed]

Just FYI.. The Ghana statue removal is old, not sure why it has been shared as current. To the op , please put a source for the same.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46552614

 

[Slog]

This goodwill also makes Indians meek and I have seen you say that as well as how Indians overseas are "accepting" of anything and don't fight.

That’s true but i never said it’s because of Gandhi. However it may be true who knows. Never thought about it from that angle.

Anyways what I mean is that Gandhi was a way for Indians to project soft power which no longer may be there for future generations unless India obv becomes a China like economic behemoth. Gandhi was a well known and positive figure to reference indians by.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Don't think so, go check the fb comments which you do to generalize Indians, look what they are saying "coward" take off his statue etc etc.. in India we should do the same etc etc.

There is a reason why Godse has become a hero to a few.

Godse fans are idiots too. doesn't mean mohandas was a hero.

I grew up in a town built by the british. it is a ghost town now, and the british built theatre, hospital and club are favourites of youtubers looking for haunted places. The communists were in power, but indira gandhi had installed mk gandhi's statue in the town square. He was quickly defaced and nose was chopped off. It was a favourite target of us kids to aim at him when coming back from school. Hitting him was fine. Doing the same to statues of marx was what would put you in trouble.

 

[JaDed]

That’s true but i never said it’s because of Gandhi. However it may be true who knows. Never thought about it from that angle.

Anyways what I mean is that Gandhi was a way for Indians to project soft power which no longer may be there for future generations unless India obv becomes a China like economic behemoth. Gandhi was a well known and positive figure to reference indians by.

Yeah and tbf not many like to be associated with him, I still remember my dad being unhappy when he started appearing on our currency in 90s, doesn't mean he likes Godse, its just that he doesn't like Mr. Gandhi.

The softpower comes at a price, irrespective most Indians overseas rather be associated with their actions(Spelling bee, tech) than some political leader 100 years ago, and tbf Mr.Gandhi is still revered in South India mostly and as you already stated most Indians don't want to be associated with him.(which doesn't mean we want to be associated with RSS either).

 

[JaDed]

Godse fans are idiots too. doesn't mean mohandas was a hero.

.

Yeah that's what I said in my above post as well.

 

[Bigboii]

More than Indians reacting to this,I am let down that there is no protest in Pakistan because since Modi/Shah/Yogi and co have taken over they seemed to have found new found respect for Gandhiji and Chacha Nehru.

Very disappointed.

there is no respect for em its just wierd when you guys disrespect em because we think its like Jinnah or Iqbal for you guys and disrespecting these national heroes guys is almost blasphemous for us so that's it its just ignorance from Pakistanis who don't know the indian history like that because they don't need to

 

[CricketCartoons]

Yeah and tbf not many like to be associated with him, I still remember my dad being unhappy when he started appearing on our currency in 90s, doesn't mean he likes Godse, its just that he doesn't like Mr. Gandhi.

The softpower comes at a price, irrespective most Indians overseas rather be associated with their actions(Spelling bee, tech) than some political leader 100 years ago, and tbf Mr.Gandhi is still revered in South India mostly and as you already stated most Indians don't want to be associated with him.(which doesn't mean we want to be associated with RSS either).

the western world will still like to use gandhi as an icon. He was the ideal protestor from the state's perspective. He called off a movement which had gathered steam just because some indians got violent.

of course, the halo would have lost a bit of shine.

but it is time that indian millennials like you are taught everything about him. I bet you haven't even read his autobiography.

 

[Rana]

No thanks. Gandhi is here to stay, Churchill is here to stay. We are not going to let 1 month of madness take away a lifetime of history!

 

[Buffet]

It seems many Indians themselves don’t really care and prop up some savarkar guy or a Patel guy who had a role in early Indian independent government...

As for an Indian it’s not a good development I guess. Gandhi is seen as a man of ideals and a very positive figure in the west and due to him, India as a country gets a lot of goodwill amongst the western youth when they study him in school. This goodwill will no longer be there in the future if his real beliefs become known in the mainstream.

Are you talking about his comments when he was young? That's well known. It's also well known what he did after that.

 

[Slog]

Are you talking about his comments when he was young? That's well known. It's also well known what he did after that.

No that is not well known in the west.

I’m talking about the majority of western children who study a chapter on him in middle school and remember only a portion of it. They see him as Indian and then associate country with him. Kids aren’t taught about the racist views he had as a young lawyer.

Heck. Me in Pakistan didn’t know about them till many years later and was only taught about his non violence and fasts etc. he is shown as a good guy.

 

[Buffet]

No that is not well known in the west.

I’m talking about the majority of western children who study a chapter on him in middle school and remember only a portion of it. They see him as Indian and then associate country with him. Kids aren’t taught about the racist views he had as a young lawyer.

Heck. Me in Pakistan didn’t know about them till many years later and was only taught about his non violence and fasts etc. he is shown as a good guy.

Agreed about kids not knowing entire history, but teaching his early view about blacks and how he changed his views later shouldn't really make much difference.

Most people who have studied Gandhi in detail have also studied his views on blacks when he was young and yet they don't see it negatively because they know that his views and actions were different when he was older.

No sane person will defend his views when he was young. Similarly, no sane person will see his views on blacks when he was young as how he viewed blacks in his entire life.

It will surely bring awareness if history lessons goes in details, but I am not convinced that it will paint him negatively as far as race is concerned. If anything, it's very hard to change your views due to humans having consistency bias. If you can get rid of racist views and become inspirations for leaders around the world who were themselves black then it may even paint him in positve rather than negative. Anyway, it's a mute point, because school books are hardly going to change. This topic is not new. I saw it few years ago as well.

 

[srh]

Not to me. I have always thought he was like Mandela, a great liberator. Maybe due to the Attenborough film.

He was sure very racist. I used to respect him, not anymore.

 

[pillionrider]

Some of the Pakistani posters here on Gandhi reminds me of Pakistani posters on Rahul Dravid wrt Sachin

 

[cricketjoshila]

Some of the Pakistani posters here on Gandhi reminds me of Pakistani posters on Rahul Dravid wrt Sachin

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

mohandas evokes a sense of pathos among the present white, to see a meek, skinny, short and dark indian smiling after facing insults from whites who ruled him. There is no pakistani who evokes such sympathy which among the western world.

 

[IAJ]

Genuine question; was he a facist and racist?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Einstein was another racist. So were a lot of people. Destroy his statue if you must but then plenty of statues need to be taken down too

 

[CricketCartoons]

Genuine question; was he a facist and racist?

Don't think he discriminated based on face, so wasn't a facist.

 

[King-Misbah]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

RSS lot do not like Gandhi anyway, wasn't he killed by a RSS member?

 

[CricketCartoons]

RSS lot do not like Gandhi anyway, wasn't he killed by a RSS member?

He was killed by an RSS member, but RSS distanced themselves from him, so he killed on his personal capacity and it did not reflect the opinions of the organization.

 

[Robert]

He was sure very racist. I used to respect him, not anymore.

But can a person not change? Surely his views in 1900 were not his views in 1945.

 

[Robert]

Einstein was another racist. So were a lot of people. Destroy his statue if you must but then plenty of statues need to be taken down too

Again, he held obnoxious views early in life, but in the sixties campaigned for civil rights.

 

[pillionrider]

Genuine question; was he a facist and racist?

He might have been racist to blacks while in South Africa and even this is questionable in terms of context of his words. A lot of the argument for his time in SA revolves around him selfishly fighting only for the Indians (some of whom would later be Pakistanis ) and not for the Blacks too.

I'm not aware of any evidence of him being racist later in his life by the time he'd evolved into the Mahatma figure. There are also retrospective criticisms of his views on the Indian caste system.

The truth is somewhere in between. Neither was he a saint, nor did he die a nasty fraud. His times were different.

Personally, I don't care what his views were early on in life. If he grew out of them, that's fine with me. I haven't researched him deeply, but the little I have read, suggests he's held to modern standards and for alleged misdeeds of a much younger period of his life.

According to a legend, there was this thief who evolved into Valmiki - ended up writing the Ramayana. And while [MENTION=136588]CricketCartoons[/MENTION] would like to believe, I just called Gandhi a thief, I didn't.

 

[srh]

But can a person not change? Surely his views in 1900 were not his views in 1945.

sure but he should have then own up his mistakes of the past, like Justin Trudeau recently did. I did not see Gandhi apologizing to blacks for his hatred.

 

[srh]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

Are you guys not supportive of Gandhi's killer and consider him as your hero? Make up you mind, dont flip flop.

 

[Mamoon]

There is no justification for destroying artwork. You can destroy Gandhi’s statue but you cannot erase him from history or ensure that you future generations don’t learn about him.

Anyone found harming artwork needs to either pay for the repair work or spend time in jail.

The lack of policing is sickening. Such third class individuals who are mostly jobless losers do not deserve any recognition.

 

[Mamoon]

One can only laugh at the gullible people who consider these self-appointed revolutionists and white knights as part of a legitimate movement. They need to be dealt for the criminals that they are.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

mohandas evokes a sense of pathos among the present white, to see a meek, skinny, short and dark indian smiling after facing insults from whites who ruled him. There is no pakistani who evokes such sympathy which among the western world.

This is absolutely true. Gandhi was the perfect Indian from a British POV, meek and sexually unattractive, no t to mention the non-violence image made the Brits feel safer. That said, he was regarded highly for his moral views, being meek, skinny and a racist on top isn't going to improve his image.

 

[Mamoon]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

That is unfortunately true.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

But it isn't Pakistanis who are defacing the statues of Gandhi. I personally feel it is a shame that someone who was once held in such high regard, will now be seen as a racist. In Britain it seems everyone is getting a crash education on their previously venerated icons.

 

[Syed1]

sure but he should have then own up his mistakes of the past, like Justin Trudeau recently did. I did not see Gandhi apologizing to blacks for his hatred.

The current government and political party that this person supports, BJP, reveres Gandhi's killer as some kind of hero.

 

[MenInG]

Lets get back on topic about why people feel Gandhi was a racist etc

 

[El Generico]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

You need to get out of this Pakistan vs India mindset. Not everything is about those two countries and besides most Pakistanis like Gandhi. The calls to remove his statues are because of a global movement and fact that people now know about his racist past. I mean Ghana already removed his statues years ago and now other countries are calling for it as well. This has nothing to do with Pakistan or Pakistanis.

 

[gani999]

The black protesters calling for the removal of Gandhi's statue probably know sweet FA about his life and work.

In any case, Gandhi was an Indian icon whose work was limited to the Indian independence struggle. Why there should be statues of him in London or DC is beyond my understanding. Granted that he may have influenced Americans like M L King, but why put his statue in a country most of whose population know nothing about him?

A lot of Indians have been influenced by Marx and Lenin. Doesn't mean we should go about putting up their statues everywhere in India.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Not very long before BLM protesters read a couple of sentences about Abraham Lincoln and then march to demolish the Lincoln Memorial.

 

[El Generico]

Agreed about kids not knowing entire history, but teaching his early view about blacks and how he changed his views later shouldn't really make much difference.

Most people who have studied Gandhi in detail have also studied his views on blacks when he was young and yet they don't see it negatively because they know that his views and actions were different when he was older.

No sane person will defend his views when he was young. Similarly, no sane person will see his views on blacks when he was young as how he viewed blacks in his entire life.

It will surely bring awareness if history lessons goes in details, but I am not convinced that it will paint him negatively as far as race is concerned. If anything, it's very hard to change your views due to humans having consistency bias. If you can get rid of racist views and become inspirations for leaders around the world who were themselves black then it may even paint him in positve rather than negative. Anyway, it's a mute point, because school books are hardly going to change. This topic is not new. I saw it few years ago as well.

Is there any source that proves his views on Blacks changed? I am not contesting your point , I am actually curious to know. Or are we just assuming that his views must have changed because he got older?

Also I don't understand how his efforts towards getting independence for Indians indicate that his views on Black people changed?

 

[Technics 1210]

Does this mean the 4K UHD 7.1 version of 'Gandhi' is no longer available on Amazon?

Why are the defenders of BLM spiltting hairs? Your falsehood pacifist boy was riding on the coat-tails of British attricition.

 

[Buffet]

Is there any source that proves his views on Blacks changed? I am not contesting your point , I am actually curious to know. Or are we just assuming that his views must have changed because he got older?

Also I don't understand how his efforts towards getting independence for Indians indicate that his views on Black people changed?

I have not seen anyone making that arguement here.



Anyone who studied Gandhi would know how his views changed, but here you go.

--------------------------

Gandhi changed his views of black Africans


In his early years in South Africa Gandhi was clearly racist, but by the time he left, he was on the best of terms with Africans, including John Dube, the president of the movement that became the African National Congress.

https://www.ft.com/content/4371bb7a-345a-11e9-bb0c-42459962a812

-----------------------

Gandhi left his racism behind before he left SA

Allegations that he looked down on Africans might have been true when he arrived, but he changed before he left

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/o...dhi-left-his-racism-behind-before-he-left-sa/

----------------------------

We have many poeple who don't care about what Gandhi did or say, but get thrill in defacing statues. You can find in this thread itself. It tells more about the person than any racism in world.

 

[El Generico]

[MENTION=97523]Buffet[/MENTION], Thanks for the share. Will read the articles when I can but its good if his views changed.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Again, he held obnoxious views early in life, but in the sixties campaigned for civil rights.

That's my point . If you are going to destroy statues of people who had racist views at some point of time in their lives (regardless of whether they distanced themselves from such views later ) , then why just stop at Gandhi?

 

[Robert]

sure but he should have then own up his mistakes of the past, like Justin Trudeau recently did. I did not see Gandhi apologizing to blacks for his hatred.

I suppose saying racist things in one’s youth weighs heavier with the SJWs than does freeing a nation of hundreds of millions from colonial oppression later in life.

 

[finalfantasy7]

Again, he held obnoxious views early in life, but in the sixties campaigned for civil rights.

robert he held those racist views and spoke and practiced them while he was in south africa studying for his masters-huham rights

 

[cric_man]

Wrong comparison.

Pakistan doesnt have a global icon like Gandhi, hence the desire by few pakistanis to tarnish him and to watch him fall. Not that it would happen.

None of the actions were initiated by Pakistanis...

 

[The Viper]

The UK are considering a coin to commemorate India's Mahatma Gandhi

Britain is considering minting a coin to commemorate India’s independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, the Treasury said on Saturday, amid growing interest in recognizing the contributions of minorities.

British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak asked the Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) to pursue recognition of Black, Asian and other minority individuals, the Treasury said.

“RMAC is currently considering a coin to commemorate Gandhi”, the UK Treasury said in an emailed statement.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-b...rate-indias-mahatma-gandhi-idUKKBN24X44X?il=0

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Fantastic. I do believe as a true Brit that the vision of Mahatma truly reflects India at it's core.

 

[coy0607]

I don't know much about Gandhi, never really read about him - especially on racism. But I have read about his weird fetishes of 'sleeping' with underage women, in the nude. And I believe this included married women.

That alone is extremely creepy, and someone who used his influence to take advance of underage girls (even if they were only just sleeping) should not be celebrated.

 

[PakLFC]

No doubt that Gandhi was a racist. The statue should be removed and sent back to India before students force it down like they did in Africa.

 

[MenInG]

A "rare and important" pair of iconic glasses worn by Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi look set to sell for tens of thousands of pounds after a British auction house put them up for sale on Monday.

The gold-plated spectacles were stuffed through the letterbox of East Bristol Auctions in southwest England last Friday, with a note attached reading, "these glasses belonged to Gandhi, give me a call," auctioneer Andrew Stowe told Sky News.

"The spectacles formed an important and somewhat iconic part of Gandhi's overall appearance ... a rare and important pair of spectacles," the auction house's website said.

"It can be presumed that these were gifted by way of thanks from Gandhi for some good deed," it added.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...i-iconic-glasses-sale-uk-200811035913939.html

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I wonder where Gandhi ji's gold plated spectacles were manufactured? I know he was a big proponent of self reliant industry and as the glasses were gold plated there must be a great chance that they were made in India as those of us with desi roots know that Indian subcontinent has always harboured immense wealth in gold.

 

[MenInG]

Gandhi Statue Defaced In Canada; "...To Terrorise Community," Says India

India on Wednesday expressed its deep anguish over the desecration of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Richmond Hill city of Ontario in Canada and for a probe into the vandalism, which police said is being investigated as a hate crime.

The statue was vandalised at Vishnu Mandir in the area of Yonge Street and Garden Avenue, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported citing York Regional Police.

"We are distressed at the desecration of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We are in contact with Canadian authorities to investigate this hate crime," the Indian Consulate General in Toronto tweeted.

The high commission in Ottawa said India is deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It also said India has approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly.

"We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly," the high commission said in a tweet.

The local police described this as hate and a "bias-motivated incident." "Someone defaced the statue with 'graphic words,' including 'rapist' and 'Khalistan," said Constable Amy Boudreau, spokesperson for York Regional Police.

"York Regional Police does not tolerate hate crime in any form," Boudreau said.

"Those who victimise others based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression and the like will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," she was quoted as saying by CBC.

"We recognize that community-wide impact of hate crimes is far-reaching and we do vigorously investigate all occurrences of hate crimes and any hate bias incidents," she added.

NDTV