The vision and people’s aspirations came true when Mahatma Gandhi’s statue was finally unveiled in Parliament Square on Saturday 14th March 2015. The statue was promoted by ‘The Gandhi Memorial Trust’ and headed up by Lord Meghnad Desai raising in excess £1 Million.
The statue marked 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa to India when Mahatma led his unique and historic peaceful struggle for the independence of India.
The ceremony involved the Prime Minister David Camron; Gopikrishna Gandhi -the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Amitabh Bachhan – one of the greatest stars of Bollywood. Also on the stage were Lord Desai and Mrs Desai who’ve contributed hugely for the success of the statue.
I was pleased to be amongst a huge crowd from all over the nation and abroad. Marking the occasion. Representing Brent and Harrow were Barry Gardiner MP, Cllr Rekha Shah and Uma Kumaran. Sharing the excitement and joy with us of course were CB, Manoj Ladwa, Shashibhai Vekaria and a large number of community leaders including Nitiben Gheewala and other colleagues representing the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation.
This was truly a momentous occasion which I will remember and cherish for ever. Popularly known as ‘Bapu’, Gandhi was a father of the nation who achieved the most remarkable and unthinkable feat of freedom for India through peaceful struggle. The word attached to Gandhi ‘Mahatma’- a Great Soul, truly sums up his vision for equal and peaceful India and his vision for the rest of the world. The presence of the statue in Parliament Square, in the company of Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill, underpins Mahatma Gandhi’s great standing worldwide. When the world is torn apart by terrorism and wars let Mahatma’s statue remind and inspire the values of peace and respect for all faiths and people worldwide.
