Dandenong public say no sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian Precinct
PLANS for a statue of world renowned activist and nonviolent political campaigner Mahatma Gandhi to stand tall in Dandenong’s Indian Cultural Precinct have been shunned by the public.
South East
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NONVIOLENT political campaigner Mahatma Gandhi is revered across the world but a proposal for a statue of him in Dandenong’s Indian Cultural Precinct has been given the thumbs down.
The precinct’s taskforce had asked Greater Dandenong Council to survey residents on the idea but 65 per cent of respondents said no.
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The proposal came from the Federation of Indian Origin Multi-Faith Organisation which also suggested a second statue of 12th-century philosopher, poet and social reformer Guru Basava.
Vasan Srinivasan, president of the federation, said the public reaction was unexpected.
“We were very disappointed,” Mr Srinivasan said.
“The survey only offered a yes or no option to the statue so we don’t know why people have rejected the idea.”
He said plans for a statue of Guru Basava had now also been shelved.
“Gandhi is an internationally known figure, he is the father of the nation (of India) so when you go to the community with high profile figure like that and the community says no I don’t expect anyone to say yes to Guru Basava,” Mr Srinivasan said.
Foster Street Traders Association president Shahid Syed voted no to the statue.
“Gandhi is a great man for India who brought independence to us but there are different communities who don’t like that idea to put up the statue, it’s not going to work here in Dandenong,” he said.
“Younger generations, even Indian younger generations, will not know (who the statue is of), let alone other communities.”
He feared the statue could also be vandalised.
The community survey was conducted over a four-week period and Greater Dandenong Mayor Youhorn Chea said the council was pleased to see such a high-level of community engagement on the subject.
“The community have told us that a statue would not be in the best interests of the precinct,” he said.
“Of the 963 responses received 65 per cent were not supportive of a Gandhi statue in Dandenong.”
Cr Chea said 87 per cent of the respondents were from an Indian or Indian subcontinent background.
The survey results were presented to the Indian Cultural Precinct Taskforce at its meeting last month and they decided to abandon the plan for now.
Internationally renowned Melbourne based artist Julian Clavijo was commissioned to create a temporary mural of Gandhi near the Indian Precinct in May.
The Gandhi mural coincided with a digital exhibition at Melbourne’s Immigration Museum and provided a link between an exhibition of state significance and Melbourne’s first Indian Cultural Precinct.
Melbourne’s southeast region is home to more than 52,000 people of Indian origin. Approximately 12,400 first generation Indian residents currently call the City of Greater Dandenong home.
Australia already has three statues of Gandhi who is credited with getting India Independence after 200 years of British rule, in Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide.
Mr Srinivasan said his group hadn’t given up on the statue yet and planned to go back to Greater Dandenong Council next year and lobby again for the project.
He said many community groups within the Indian community had told him they would commit money towards the purchase of the statue, estimated to be $20,000.
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