Police in the Knox area are appealing for any information regarding the theft of a bronze Mahatma Gandhi statue from outside the Australian Indian Community Centre, Rowville.
The statue, a gift from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi, is believed to have been stolen around 1am on Monday 12 January.
Santosh Kumar OAM, committee member for the Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust who administer the building, has told Indian Link the crime was partially visible on the building’s CCTV, and was reported to police the next day. Mahatma Gandhi statue Rowville
“We are sorry to see the statue of a national leader is gone…a white van came with people covered in balaclavas…details have been passed on to police,” he said.
Though the intentions behind the crime are yet to be discovered, it’s possible the theft is racially motivated, given the significance of the statue and the rise of anti-immigration sentiments in Melbourne.
“It’s a sorry thing that hatred has gone to this extent,” Kumar said.
A police statement released on February 2nd notes that three unknown offenders used an angle grinder to cut the statue from its foundations.
Given the incident occurred almost four weeks ago, and the indication of premeditation suggested by the balaclava, angle grinder and van, Kumar believes the statue is likely irretrievable at this stage.
“I think it has been damaged, they have cut it [up]. It’s the second attempt; one more time they damaged it, so this time they cut it and dragged it in their van, that’s what my understanding is,” he told Indian Link. Mahatma Gandhi statue Rowville
The investigation is ongoing, and police have warned scrap metal dealers to look out for any sales of the 426kg statue.
Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Indian Government has responded to media queries regarding the statue, saying:
“We strongly condemn the vandalization 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.”
A deeply meaningful symbol for the community, the statue, made in Rajasthan, was a gift from the Indian government marking the strengthening of cross-cultural ties during the 75th Year of Indian Independence.
Mahatma Gandhi statue Rowville
Kumar says the committee hasn’t yet heard anything about the theft from police since it was reported.
The theft is the second instance of vandalism towards the statue; when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the statue on November 21, 2021, an attempt was made to decapitate the statue just one day later.
Shadow Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs Evan Mulholland MP has condemned the latest theft, describing it as ‘an attack on all Victorians who value respect, inclusion and the strength of our diverse society’.
“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.
Local MPs Kim Wells and Max Williams have also expressed solidarity with the Indian-Australia community. Mahatma Gandhi statue Rowville
“I know firsthand how much the Indian community contribute to our local area, and this attack on their culture and values has no place in Rowville,” Mr Williams said.
