An alleged act of desecrated involving the statue of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, has triggered widespread condemnation in Katwa town of East Burdwan district after the statue was found with its face covered by a black cloth. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning at the Station Bazaar Chourasta, one of the busiest areas of the town, when commuters and local residents noticed that the full-length statue of Mahatma Gandhi had been draped with what was described as a dirty black cloth.
According to local residents, the statue was installed in Katwa during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence and has since remained a prominent public landmark. As photographs and videos of the incident circulated on social media, the alleged desecration sparked strong reactions from members of civil society, who condemned the act and demanded that those responsible be identified and brought to justice. Several social media users expressed their outrage over the incident.
Local resident Kamalika Dutta wrote on social media, “Shame on those who committed this act. I do not believe they represent any political party; rather, they are people with a distorted mindset. This statue of Gandhiji stands in front of my father’s house, and I have seen it there for many years. It is deeply shameful that someone would disrespect it in this manner.”
Another social media user, Sanjib Das, called for immediate action by the authorities. “This act of incivility has crossed all limits. No sensible person can accept such an insult to Mahatma Gandhi in our city. The administration has CCTV cameras in the area. Those responsible must be identified, arrested, and punished according to law. Otherwise, a strong public protest will be organised,” he wrote.
Police officials said an investigation has been initiated and that CCTV footage from the surrounding area is being examined to identify those involved. “We have begun investigating the incident by collecting and reviewing CCTV footage from the area,” a police official said.
The incident has also drawn political attention. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) President Subhankar Sarkar has written to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, urging the state government to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure strict action against those responsible. “This is not only a profound insult to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, but also a deeply humiliating act for the entire state,” Sarkar wrote in his letter to the Chief Minister. “I sincerely believe that your administration will not tolerate or support such vandalism, and I urge you to ensure that the individuals behind this are brought to justice without delay.”
As the investigation continues, local residents and political leaders have called for the swift identification of those responsible and stressed the need to protect public memorials dedicated to national leaders.
