Unknown miscreants have vandalised the statue of Gandhi outside the Indian embassy within the US with graffiti and painting, prompting the mission to register a complaint with the local enforcement agencies.
Vandalism of the statue of the apostle of peace happened during the week of nationwide protests against the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
The incident is reported to possess taken place on the intervening night of June 2 and three , officials said.
The Indian embassy has informed the State Department and registered a complaint with local enforcement agencies, which are now conducting an investigation into the incident.
On Wednesday, a team of officials from Metropolitan Police in consultation with the Diplomatic Security Service and park Police visited the location and are conducting inquiries.
Efforts are on to wash up the location at the earliest.
US Ambassador to India Ken Juster on Thursday apologised for the desecration of Mahatma Gandhi’s statute outside the Indian embassy within the US capital.
“So sorry to ascertain the desecration of the Gandhi statue in Wash, DC. Please accept our sincere apologies. Appalled also by the horrific death of George Floyd & the awful violence & vandalism. We stand against prejudice & discrimination of any type. we’ll recover & be better,” Juster tweeted.
Several protests within the US against police brutality against African-Americans have turned violent. In some cases, the violent protests have damaged a number of the foremost prestigious and sacred American monuments.
In Washington DC, protestors in the week burnt a historic church and damaged a number of the prime properties and historic places just like the memorial and Lincoln Memorial .
One of the few statues of a far off leader on a federal land in Washington DC, the statue of Gandhi was dedicated by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, within the presence of the then US president Clinton on September 16, 2000 during his state visit to the US.
In October 1998, the Congress had authorised the govt of India to determine and maintain a memorial to honour Gandhi on Federal land within the District of Columbia.”