New Delhi: As India remembers Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 73rd loss of life anniversary, the Indian-People in the US have expressed deep anguish and shock over vandalisation of the Bapu’s statue in a park in Davis, California, whereas emphatically stating that an environment of hatred was being created. ALSO READ | At All-Get together Meet, PM Modi Speaks About Farmers’ Protest; Says Proposal To Halt Agri Legal guidelines Nonetheless Stands
Strongly condemning the vandalisation of Gandhi’s statue, Guarang Desai of the Associates of India Society Worldwide (FISI) mentioned “an environment of hatred was being created by many anti-India and hinduphobic radical organisations like OFMI and different Khalistani separatists for a few years now”, the Davis Enterprise each day reported.
“They haven’t solely run hate campaigns in opposition to Indian icons however have been on the forefront of makes an attempt to push hinduphobia and erase India from California college textbooks,” he added.
The Hindu American Basis (HAF) too condemned the “cowardly desecration” and demanded that the incident should be investigated by the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a hate crime.
Asserting that the desecration was seemingly finished with the intention of intimidating the Indian American neighborhood, HAF California Advocacy Director Easan Katir Katir urged the native police to apprehend the perpetrators and referred to as upon town council to resurrect the statue as a press release that “such harmful acts are usually not in concord with our neighborhood requirements”.
The HAF condemned the incident on Twitter as properly, saying this isn’t about legacy of Gandhi as an individual, however about intimating India and Indian People.
#Gandhi statue decapitation in Davis CA needs to be investigated by @DHSgov @FBI as a hate crime. Make no mistake @GavinNewsom @CityofDavis this isn’t about legacy of Gandhi as an individual, however about intimidating India & Indian People: https://t.co/8W7G3MBM61 pic.twitter.com/iwqq0OWLpu
— Hindu American Basis (@HinduAmerican) January 29, 2021
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The Authorities of India additionally strongly condemned “this malicious and despicable act in opposition to a universally revered icon of peace and justice”.
“The Embassy of India in Washington D.C. has taken up the matter with the U.S. Division of State for a radical investigation into the incident and acceptable motion in opposition to these chargeable for this despicable act,” mentioned the Indian Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) in a press release.
“The Consulate Basic of India in San Francisco has individually taken up the matter with the Metropolis of Davis and native regulation enforcement authorities, which have initiated the investigations. The Mayor of Davis deeply regretted the incident and knowledgeable that they’ve initiated an investigation. Native Indian neighborhood organisations have condemned the act of vandalism,” the MEA added.
The MEA additional mentioned “the US Division of State has conveyed that this act of vandalism is unacceptable and expressed the hope that perpetrators shall be dropped at justice as rapidly as doable”.
Unknown miscreants vandalised Gandhi’s statue on the Central Park in Davis, California, on January 28. The statue was a present to the Metropolis of Davis by the Authorities of India in 2016.
