A University in Ghana has on Wednesday, taken down the statue of famed India’s independence leader Mahatma Gandhi from its campus.
The lecturers of the University of Ghana has given a petition for the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue from campus after India’s former President Pranab Mukherjee has unveiled it in the year 2016.
The petition has stated that Gandhi was a “racist” and heroes of African should be situated first. In the wake of the petition, the government of Ghana at that time has said that the Gandhi’s statue would be relocated.
According to news reports, lecturers and students of University of Ghana said the statue, which is originally located over the recreational quadrangle area of the university, had been taken down on Wednesday.
The university then confirmed this statement with a saying that the Ministry of foreign affairs and regional integration held accountable for the act and was responsible. University’s official said, “We received an order from above and we can’t tell you why it is being taken down.”
According to news reports, Nana Adoma Asare Adei, law student, said: “Having his statue means that we stand for everything he stands for and if he stands for these things [his alleged racism], I don’t think we should have his statue on campus.”
Mahatma Gandhi was a freedom fighter and most celebrated one of the figures of 20th century. Gandhi is always known for leading a non-violent resistance to the British colonial rule in the India.
Though, Gandhi has inspired and moved lot of people throughout the whole world, but his comments over black Africans were always listed as controversial. Earlier, Gandhi has referred black South Africans as a “kaffirs”, a slur which is highly offensive and has also said the Indians were always “infinitely superior” to all black people.