India condemns theft of Gandhi statue in Australia, demands immediate action against culprits
According to the MEA, the matter has been raised with Australian authorities. (Photo: Instagram/hfhranz) India on Tuesday expressed condemnation over the vandalism and removal of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria.
“We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, by unidentified people,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said in a statement.
Our response to media queries regarding Mahatma Gandhi statue in Australia ⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/CsmoYb9B1B pic.twitter.com/uL2jyDWPaw
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 3, 2026
According to Australian media reports, the bronze statue, weighing around 420 kgs, was stolen by thieves who used an angle grinder to cut it off from the base, leaving just the two feet behind.
The statue, which was gifted by India and unveiled in 2021 by the then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to mark 75 years of Indian independence, symbolised peace and the strong relationship between the two countries.
CCTV visuals from the spot showed three offenders severing the statue in the early hours before fleeing the scene.
Deeply disturbing news 🇮🇳🇦🇺
The bronze statue of #MahatmaGandhi has been stolen from the #Australian #IndianCommunityCentre in #Rowville, #Melbourne. Gifted by ICCR (New Delhi) and unveiled on 12 Nov 2021 by former PM #ScottMorrison, the statue symbolised #Peace, #Unity . pic.twitter.com/MYaQjaISim
— Rajesh Kumar Reddy E V (@rajeshreddyega) February 3, 2026
According to the MEA, the matter has been raised with Australian authorities.
“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,” Jaiswal said.
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Victorian Police said that all angles, including it being a case of theft for scrap metal value, or deliberate of vandalism or intimidation, are being looked into.
Australia Today also reported that this was not the first time the Gandhi statue was targeted. According to the report, in November 2021, less than 24 hours after it was inaugurated, the Gandhi statue was vandalised by unidentified miscreants.
