'Vandalism of Gandhi's statues in the US is a matter of deep concern'

'Attacking his statues disregard his values, which as we know are most needed in the world today.'

The South Richmond Hill area in Queen, New York City, has been in the news for the wrong reasons this month.

A day after India's Independence day on August 16th, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Tulsi Mandir was vandalized and completely destroyed.

Less than 10 days earlier, the area was jolted by the suicide of Mandeep Kaur, an Indian American housewife who committed suicide after enduring years of domestic abuse.

The South Richmond Hill community has a majority Indo-Caribbean and Punjabi population.

The attack on the Gandhi statue happened on the night of August 16 outside the Shri Tulsi Mandir, which was founded in 2004 by Pandit Lakhram Maharaj for the growing Hindu community in the area.

The attack on August 16th was not the first near the temple. Earlier this month the same statue was vandalized, but the second time around it was completely destroyed using a sledgehammer.

After the first incident, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams had said, 'I'm horrified that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized outside of a Hindu temple in my district last week. Hate has no place in our community, Queens, or New York City.'

Almost 10 days later, the New York Police Department is still searching for the six suspects who perpetrated the crime and have requested the public to help nab the accused.

In Queens where the incident occurred, Reema Rasool is running for Congress from New York's 3rd Congressional District.

The daughter of Indian immigrants from Kashmir who moved to the US in 1974, Rasool is a life-long resident of the area and is shocked by the incident. "I am horrified and appalled by the hateful acts of vandalism on a religious institution. This kind of hate has no home in Queens and must be treated with zero tolerance." she says.

"The perpetrators of this crime must be identified, charged, and prosecuted thoroughly. These times and actions are why our communities must come together and support our neighbors, uplifting all," adds Rasool.

"The increase in cases of vandalism of Mahatma Gandhi's statues in the US is a matter of deep concern not only for Indians and Asians, but for Americans as well," points out Tanya Mohan, who works for an international organization.

"Mahatma Gandhi stood for the very opposite of this act," adds Mohan. "He professed and spread peace, harmony and reconciliation as measures to resolve disputes, love to overcome hatred and truth to prevail over everything."

"Attacking his statues disregard his values, which as we know are most needed in the world today," says Mohan. "More awareness needs to be brought for what he stood for so acts like these are stopped."

Jennifer Rajkumar, the first Hindu to be elected to the New York state assembly -- the 39- year-old lawmaker represents the 38th district, representing the Queens neighborhoods of Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven -- said in a statement that her office is in constant touch with the NYPD and it is being investigated as a hate crime.

On America's West coast, meanwhile, the Mahatma is being celebrated with a song composed by Dr L Subramaniam, sung by his wife Kavita Krishnamurthy. The Mahatma Symphony Concert will held in San Diego on Friday, August 26.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com