A statue of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest inspirations for civil-rights movements and freedom the world over, will be erected opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.
The unveiling of the statue, which is due to take place in Parliament Square in early 2015, will see Ghandi placed alongside other distinguished leaders including Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln.
Plans were announced by Foreign Secretary William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne on a recent cabinet trip to India that included a visit to the Gandhi Smriti memorial in Delhi. The Smriti memorial stands at Gandhi’s former home and is the site of his assassination.
British ministers are keen to reinforce commercial and diplomatic ties with India, which is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The presence of a monument in Parliament Square, a landmark key to the democratic values of the UK, is seen as fitting tribute to Ghandi, who led the nationalist struggle for Indian independence from Britain in the 1940s.
“As the father of the largest democracy in the world, it’s time for Gandhi to take his place in front of the mother of parliaments. He is a figure of inspiration, not just in Britain and India, but around the world,” Osborne said.
“I hope this new memorial will be a lasting and fitting tribute to his memory in Britain, and a permanent monument to our friendship with India.”
