Vandalised Gandhiji statue in Sri Lanka restored
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi that was vandalised late on April 5 in the East Sri Lankan town of Batticaloa, headquarters town of the Tamil-dominated Eastern province, has been restored. Three other statues are in the process of being restored.
“The statue looks as it did earlier,” the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan, told The-Hindu over phone from Batticaloa. Plans were afoot to install one more Gandhiji statue in the Eastern headquarter town, he said.
Mr.Santhirakanthan, a former LTTE child soldier who took the reins of power even when the Tamil Tigers were holding sway in the Northern province, said that the restoration work began soon after people noticed that the statue had been vandalised. “We began work immediately and finished it in a couple of days.”
Though 10 days have passed, there have been no arrests. Initial enquires had indicated that this was an isolated instance, but it has not found many takers. Four statues were damaged, it is pointed out, and this is the second such incident in a year. Sometime ago, it was a Vivekananda statue that was the target.
The Gandhiji statue for instance is a tall one. Even with a ladder, it is a steep climb to reach the top for purposes of garlanding. Given this, it appears certain that multiple persons were involved in the incident and that they were carrying a ladder and equipment to cut through the statue. The statues were all cut at the neck and the head portion was thrown away.
In all, four statues were vandalised — those of Gandhiji, Tamil scholar Swami Vipulananda, poet Periyathampi Pillai and Scouts Movement founder Baden Powell. All the statues are in Batticaloa town. The statues of Gandhiji and Baden Powell are located near the city centre.
India had taken up the issue at the highest level and requested that the statue be rebuilt. The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K.Kantha spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary K.Amunugama. The High Commission also contacted the Chief Minister.
“No arrests have been made so far. The police have assured me that they will get a breakthrough soon,” the Chief Minister said. (The Hindu)
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I am surprised to hear a country like India had taken the issue at the highest level. Ghandi is not God.
So, has Gandhi been given a new head? I wish other living politicians and leaders in India are given new heads and new brains too. They have been living with empty skulls for a long time. Pilliyaan the Chief Minister can do the job; he is a good neuro-surgeon.
All statues should entirely get rid of this country.from the above comment stated that “Gandhi been given a new head,They have been living with empty skulls for a long time” ya that was right but that is not the truth sri lankans and indians have been living in believing not only empty skulls but also totally empty clays of body in different figures.
may be Gandhi has some thing in his head i dono that, but these people entirely zero.
Gandi get rid of them, who is this blok, get rid of them
Ashiq
What ever appears beneath your islamic name, be advised that Sri Lanka is not a colony of India to have statues of so called Mahatma Gandhi or whoever all over SL, solely it’s a pure Buddhist country ! Hence, we’ll adore, respect and pay homage with gratitude graciously remembering what his aspect is all about and how it has been paving and directing our lives to the goodness with our statues of High Nobel and Sacred Lord Buddha and let Hindus maintain their religious faith in their beliefs with their statues of Gods ! It does not mean Islamic belief does not pray on posts of clays, this Buddhist island must remove all the statues those religious values even come under. Both Buddhists and Hindus, at least, had been well creative in their minds throughout long long years ago during civilisation, to poet their faith attached to those magnificient creations for remembering their religious aspects upon, as you cheaply, insultatively and discriminatively called “empty clays of bodies”. Better you say these things to US, UK and western beasts who burn ” Holy Kuran (by the word, from our bottom of hearts, we Buddhists do respect other religious believes for equality) ” in Afghanistan and Iraq.
And you know what, one person’s or community’s personal opinion or religious belief will single-handedly not change a precious, well preserved, long lived and lasted history of Buddhist-dominated Motherlanka as the truth prevails except to the politicians who work on reconciliation and compliance, do preach no majorities and minorities in SL but Sinhalese are unilaterally the majority on island nation as same as Tamils in TN and Chinese in China! There are so many personal comments with sugared-icing and plums on the cake to showcase genuine will on behalf of patriotism as well as “Say No to Discrimination-Racism-Extremism” on our motherland, but people with a mustard-sized brain will recognise the disguised, for those that INGO dollars are flowing behind in to their accounts for just acting on the surface but a different vicious creature under dear’s skin, so no morale value comes for those but just hell !
No one will go to heaven by giving priority (Country first concept)to the country of birth.
Priority has to be given to the soul. Where would I be after death? Hell or Heaven? Or would I be born again as a cat or dog….
Your thoughts , words and acts has to be genuine for the betterment of the mankind.