SHOCKING: Mahatma Gandhi statue destroyed in California; US-Indians plan car rally protest

In protest against the vandalism of a Mahatma Gandhi statue in California's Davis, the Indian Association of Sacramento has decided to hold a car rally and has demanded reinstallation of the statue. In a post on Facebook, the group announced that the car rally will be held, and invited people to “Stand Up For Peace, love And Gandhiji, Reinstate Gandhi Statue: Vigil/Car Rally.”

On Saturday, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Central Park of California's Davis was vandalized and desecrated by unknown miscreants. The 6-ft tall, 294 kg bronze statue of Gandhi which stood in the Central Park of the US city of Davis was severed, broken, and ripped from the base, triggering massive outrage among Indian-Americans who have demanded that the officials investigate it as an act of hate crime.

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Investigators are unsure of when exactly the statue was torn down. It has been removed and stored in a safe place for evaluation. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was donated by the Government of India to the city of Davis in 2016 and was installed by the city council four years ago amidst protests from anti-India organizations.

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India's response

The Ministry of External Affairs said that India strongly condemns the malicious and despicable act against a universally respected icon of peace and justice, adding that its embassy in Washington DC has taken up the matter with the US Dept of State for a thorough investigation and appropriate action. The MEA further stated that the Consulate General of India in San Francisco has separately taken up the matter with the City of Davis and local law enforcement authorities. 

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