People on social media are raising their voices for the installation of a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Lakshadweep. We had reported recently that a bust of Mahatma Gandhi could not be installed in Lakshadweep due to opposition by local Muslims against the same.
Concerned citizens on social media are saying that the Mahatma Gandhi statue must be installed in Lakshadweep and there is no valid justification to oppose it. Netizens are trying to attract attention through the hashtag #Gandhi4Lakshadweep.
#Gandhi4Lakshadweep
— Rahul Easwar (@RahulEaswar) May 30, 2021
There can be no excuses to this. Either religious or cultural. #MahatmaGandhi is the father of the nation and his statue cannot be shown disrespect
People of #Lakshadweep need to accept various methods of honouring people. https://t.co/uhWZnOxiQO
Inviting your attention @PMOIndia @AmitShahOffice @prafulkpatel #Gandhi4Lakshadweep pic.twitter.com/24oPTiSD44
— Patriot🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@Patriot21357811) May 30, 2021
Hello District Panchayat of Lakshadweep! Panchayati Raj is the idea of Mahatma Gandhi. Install Gandhi statue in Lakshadweep#Gandhi4Lakshadweep
— TG Mohandas (@mohandastg) May 30, 2021
People are also registering their angst against the Islamist influence in the Union Territory for not permitting the installation of the Mahatma Gandhi statue.
We want statue of Gandhi in LD. LD is not a personal property of jihadists. #Gandhi4Lakshadweep pic.twitter.com/4ZdRUESZkl
— Ashish (@Ashish13503355) May 30, 2021
History will call you coward if you wont stand against these jihadi fanatics#Gandhi4Lakshadweep
— രേഷ്മ आत्मनिर्भर (@Resh_Rashmi) May 30, 2021
Islamists and communists not giving a damn about Freedom Fighters is nothing new. We saw this with Patel, Netaji,Tilak, Savarkar etc. Gandhi too has entered this esteemed list now.#Gandhi4Lakshadweep
— Mandrake 2.0 (@mandrake2_) May 30, 2021
Some are demanding the installation of a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel along with a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Is there a socio-religious ban on statues in Lakshadweep?
— MochaMan (@Baba_Mocha) May 30, 2021
Besides Gandhi statue, I believe there should also be a monument in honour of Sardar Patel, who ensured the island remained an integral part of India. #Gandhi4Lakshadweep #Sardar4Lakshadweep https://t.co/cViM1dt1gk
As we had reported earlier, local Muslims believe that if such a statute is once installed, then they will have to pay respects to it by decorating it with flowers, which according to them, is a part of Hindutva and violates the Sharia law. Hence the Muslims in Lakshadweep vehemently opposed the installation of the Gandhi statue in Kavaratti.
On the occasion of the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations, the United Progressive Alliance-led government had decided to install a statue of MK Gandhi at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep. In September 2010, a Rs 2 lakh statue of MK Gandhi was sent to Lakshadweep in the vessel MV Amindivi to be installed at Kavaratti.
Eleven years since then, MK Gandhi’s bust has faced a harrowing time as it has shuttled several times from Kochi to Kavaratti. Currently, it is reported that the bust is kept at the Lakshadweep administrative offices in Kavaratti, waiting to be installed. However, with protests from Muslims in Lakshadweep continue to grow, the installation of the statue of MK Gandhi will be delayed again.
