A new statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be inaugurated in the British city of Manchester later this year after a local council approved plans for it as a symbol of peace. The 9-foot-high bronze sculpture by Indian artist Ram V. Sutar will be installed outside Manchester Cathedral.
The Mahatma Gandhi Statue Project, an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), a worldwide spiritual movement headquartered in India, had submitted the proposal as epitomising the city’s resilience in the aftermath of the suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande at Manchester Arena in May 2017, an Islamic State (ISIS) claimed attack which claimed 23 lives.
“Following the 2017 Arena attack, Manchester’s unique civic pride displayed the values of non-violence and compassion. We are inspired by the people of Manchester for their strength, decency and community in the face of this unparalleled tragedy,” said Manthan Taswala, spokesperson for SRMD UK, which believes in propagating Gandhi’s teachings.
“The statue of Gandhi will celebrate the universal power of his message. A statue in Manchester will ensure that the heart of our politics and democracy can all be blessed with his ethos,” Mr. Taswala added.
The charitable organisation is being backed in its project by Manchester Cathedral, Manchester City Council and the High Commission of India and the costs are to be covered by the Indian-origin Kamani family in memory of their late scion Bhanji Khanji Kamani. Manchester City Council approved the plans submitted for the project this week without any objections from any of the members.
“It’s great to see planning approval granted for the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Manchester,” said Bob May, Director at consultancy firm Turley, which provided the expert planning support for the project.