In a shocking incident, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Italy was vandalised, allegedly by pro-Khalistani elements on June 12. The statue, which was set to be inaugurated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit for the G7 Summit, was defaced with graffiti referencing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
#BREAKING: Mahatma Gandhi's statue vandalized by pro Khalistani elements in Italy. It was scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his G7 visit. pic.twitter.com/nsgL1uiLHD
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) June 12, 2024
The act of vandalism has prompted a strong response from India. Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra announced during a media interaction that India has taken up the matter with relevant Italian authorities, emphasizing the severity of the incident.
This defacement occurs just as PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in Italy on Thursday to attend the annual G7 Summit of advanced economies. Kwatra highlighted that PM Modi’s participation in the summit presents an opportunity to follow up on the outcomes of the G20 summit, which was held under India’s presidency last year.
The G7 Summit, taking place in Italy from June 13 to 15, is expected to focus on significant global issues such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. The summit will be attended by key global leaders, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is slated to participate in a session discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The vandalism incident underscores the heightened tensions and the disruptive activities of Khalistani groups, casting a shadow over the diplomatic and international discussions slated to occur during the G7 Summit.
