Mr Arun Jaitley, the Indian Finance Minister, is set to unveil the new statue of Mahatma Gandhi on March 14 as part of a two day visit to the UK.
The unveiling ceremony in London’s Parliament Square twill be open to members of the public, who will be the first to see the historic statue. The ceremony will feature personal reflections from Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, and former Governor of West Bengal, Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi. It will also be attended by Lord and Lady Desai of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust.
This will be Mr Jaitley’s first official visit to the UK as finance minister and the programme reflects the broad and deepening relationship enjoyed by India and the UK. This close partnership and co-operation between the UK and India is generating more jobs, growth and security for our two nations.
Mr Jaitley said: “It is with great pleasure that I have accepted Prime Minister Cameron’s invitation to attend the inauguration of the new statue of Gandhi in Parliament Square in London. Mahatma Gandhi will be honoured in this most prestigious location for his work in peacefully leading India’s struggle for independence.
“The statue will help ensure that the legacy of Gandhi lives on for future generations. It also marks an important, historic moment celebrating the strong bond between our two nations. India and the UK share the same values and we are a partnership of equals. This lasting friendship is just one of many legacies left by Gandhi, which I am keen that we work hard to strengthen further.”
Meanwhile, megastar Amitabh Bachchan too will attend the event.
“We are delighted that @SrBachchan will read at the unveiling of the #GandhiStatue on Saturday,” DCMS-British Department for Culture, Media and Sport, tweeted.