India has strongly condemned the vandalisation and removal of a Mahatma Gandhi statue from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, describing the act as deeply distressing and unacceptable. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it has taken up the matter with Australian authorities and urged swift action to recover the statue and prosecute those responsible.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has formally conveyed its concerns to the Australian government and pressed for an immediate investigation. “We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne by unidentified persons. We have raised the matter with Australian authorities and urged them to take immediate action to recover the missing statue and hold the culprits accountable,” he stated.

The condemnation follows local media reports that a bronze statue of Gandhi was stolen from the community centre, sparking anger and anxiety among members of the Indian diaspora in Melbourne. Community leaders described the incident as an attack on shared values of peace, non-violence, and multicultural harmony.

Victoria Police confirmed that officers from the Knox Crime Investigation Unit are probing the theft, which is believed to have occurred in the early hours of January 12. According to police, three unidentified individuals allegedly entered the charity premises on Kingsley Close at around 12:50 am and removed the statue.

Investigators have appealed to scrap metal dealers to remain alert in case the bronze statue is offered for sale. Police have also requested any witnesses, CCTV footage, or public leads to be shared via Crime Stoppers. Authorities have not ruled out organised theft, given the material value of bronze.

The missing statue holds significant cultural and symbolic importance for the Indian community in Australia. It was gifted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and inaugurated in 2021 by then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a ceremony that highlighted India–Australia cultural ties.

Community representatives have expressed hope that the statue will be recovered soon and reinstated at the centre. They have also called for stronger security measures at cultural sites to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The MEA said it will continue to monitor developments closely and remain in touch with Australian officials until the matter is resolved. The incident has reignited discussions about protecting cultural symbols of minority communities in multicultural societies.