Mahatma Gandhi Statue Stolen in Melbourne, India Urges Australia to Act

"We strongly condemn the vandalisation 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," Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal said in reponse to media queries.

The statue, weighing 426 kg, was 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 (ICCR), was inaugurated by former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2021. This incident has raised concerns within the Indian-Australian community, especially since the statue was previously vandalised within 24 hours of its inauguration.

Victoria Police are investigating the theft, reviewing CCTV footage, and warning scrap metal dealers to be cautious about anyone attempting to sell the bronze statue.

According to 'The Australia Today', the bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi, located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, was allegedly cut into pieces and stolen, triggering a police investigation and renewed concern within the Indian-Australian community.

The theft has revived memories of an earlier attack on the same statue, which was vandalised within 24 hours of its inauguration in November 2021. That incident had drawn condemnation in both Australia and India, though no public arrests were announced at the time, The Australia Today said.

According to The Australia Today, at the time, the 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 earlier incidents in Australia and overseas, Khalistan supporters have attempted to damage or deface statues of Mahatma Gandhi, viewing them as symbolic targets despite Gandhi's global reputation as an icon of non-violence, The Australia Today reported.

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 unknown 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 am, 'The Australia Today' reported.

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, according to The Australia Today.

"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," Mr 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.

"Crimes like this are an attack on all Victorians who value respect, inclusion and the strength of our diverse society," he said, adding that the Liberals and Nationals "express our sadness at this act of cultural vandalism and offer our support to the vibrant Indian-Australian community".

Local MP for Rowville, Kim Wells, and Liberal candidate Max Williams also criticised the incident, saying it undermined values of respect, peace and multicultural harmony in the community.

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 non-violence, The Australia Today reported.

Police said investigations are ongoing and all lines of inquiry remain open, with authorities focusing on recovering the statue and identifying those responsible.

- ANI