Indian High Commission Erects Mahatma Ghandhi Statue in Lilongwe
The Office of the Indian High Commission in Malawi has finally erected the controversial Mahatma Gandhi statue in Lilongwe on Friday.
The statue has been erected at the High Commissions offices in Area 9.
The statue attracted a lot of controversies when the Indian government expressed interest to erect it in a public place in Blantyre in 2019.
Indian High Commissioner to Malawi Anurag Bhushan says this is what Gandi could have wanted as he was an ambassador of peace and unity hence the need for Malawians to see this as a symbol of peace.
At the unveiling ceremony, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eisenhower Mkaka echoed similar sentiments where he emphasized that Malawians should focus on the values that Gandhi stood for such as peace and unity disregarding his flaws as a human.
More than 3000 Malawians signed a petition against the statue arguing that it had no meaning in the country, alleging Gandhi was a racist.
Gandhi is hailed as a hero of Indian independence in his country and not in Africa where he spent more than 20 years of his life.
Last modified on Tuesday, 06/10/2020