New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): India on Tuesday strongly condemned the vandalism and removal of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Australia and said it has taken up the matter with Australian authorities, urging immediate action to recover the statue and bring those responsible to justice.
“We strongly condemn the vandalism and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, by unidentified people. We have strongly raised the matter with Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries.
The bronze statue, weighing 426 kilograms, was reportedly cut from its base using an angle grinder and stolen from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville. The statue, a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, was inaugurated in 2021 by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The incident has raised concern within the Indian-Australian community, particularly as the same statue was vandalized within 24 hours of its inauguration in November 2021.
Victoria Police are investigating the theft and are reviewing CCTV footage from the area. Authorities have also warned scrap metal dealers to remain alert to anyone attempting to sell a bronze statue.
According to The Australia Today, the statue was allegedly cut into pieces before being stolen, triggering a police investigation and renewed concern among community members. The theft has revived memories of the earlier attack on the statue, which had drawn condemnation in both Australia and India, though no public arrests were announced at the time.
The Australia Today reported that the earlier vandalism occurred amid heightened tensions linked to Khalistan-related extremist activity, which has previously targeted Indian diplomatic missions, community spaces, and symbols associated with India in several Western countries. In past incidents in Australia and elsewhere, supporters of the movement have attempted to damage or deface statues of Mahatma Gandhi, despite his global reputation as an icon of nonviolence.
Victoria Police confirmed that officers from the Knox Crime Investigation Unit are investigating the incident, which allegedly occurred in the early hours of January 12. Police said three unidentified offenders are believed to have used an angle grinder to cut and remove the statue from the premises on Kingsley Close, Rowville, at around 12:50 a.m.
Senior opposition leaders in Victoria have also condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the Indian-Australian community. Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs Evan Mulholland described the theft as deeply distressing and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
“Our multicultural communities should feel safe and respected in every suburb of this state. I stand with Victoria’s Indian community at this distressing time and urge anyone with information to assist Victoria Police in bringing those responsible to justice. The perpetrators must be held to account,” Mulholland said.
He also extended support to community leaders and families unsettled by the theft, describing it as an attack on shared values of respect and inclusion. Local MP for Rowville Kim Wells and Liberal candidate Max Williams also criticized the incident, saying it undermined values of respect, peace, and multicultural harmony.
While Victoria Police have not attributed the theft to any group or ideology, community leaders have raised concerns about cultural safety and the targeting of symbols representing peace and nonviolence. Police said investigations are ongoing, with all lines of inquiry remaining open as authorities focus on recovering the statue and identifying those responsible.
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