The stage is ready for the ceremony where the statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled at Parliament Square on March 14 by Finance Minster Arun Jaitley. The wrapped-up statue of the leader, which has been done by leading British sculptor Phillip Jackson, has been secured on its plinth in preparation for the function.
Meanwhile Mr. Jaitley has begun his two-day with a bilateral meeting over breakfast with UK Chancellor George Osborne at his office. He then met Prince Charles at Clarence House.
While a wide spectrum of economic and political issues are to be addressed, the one that will overshadow the rest is that relating to British concerns over India’s policy on retrospective taxation in the specific backdrop of UK-based Cairn Energy's dispute with Indian tax authorities over a USD 1.6 billion retrospective tax bill.
The unveiling ceremony on Saturday will be attended by Prime Minister David Cameron, Culture Secretary Sajid Javid, Chancellor George Osborne, and representatives from other political parties. Prior to the unveiling, the commemorative volume by the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust celebrating the statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be released at a private function with the donors and patrons of the Trust.
Photo courtesy: Gandhi Memorial Statue Trust
It was last year in India that Foreign Secretary William Hague and Chancellor George Osborne made the announcement of the UK government’s decision to install a statue of the Indian leader opposite the houses of Parliament. Following the green signal, India-born economist Lord Meghnad Desai and his wife Lady Kishwar Desai set up the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust to drive the project to its fruition. The Trust raised over £1.5 million for the statue.
The British government and representatives of the India-UK community hoped that Prime Minster Narendra Modi would unveil the statue, as the event is a defining moment in the long historical relationship between the two countries, and as such demanded the presence of either the prime minister or President, rather than a cabinet minister.
But that is not to be Mr. Cameron and Mr. Jaitley’s address will be followed by Gandhi’s favourite bhajans, and readings by Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan. Gandhi’s grandson and former Governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi will offer his reflections on the occasion.
The major donor’s will be present. They include Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy daughter and daughter Akshata Murty; industrialists Rahul Bajaj and Lakshmi Mittal; UK businessmen Rami Ranger, Vivek Chadha and Deepak Yadav; and trustees Carsten Jorgensen, and Lord Peter Goldsmith (former UK attorney-general).
“At the beginning it seemed like Mission Impossible,” Lady Kishwar told The Hindu . “The small donations soon became a flood, and people continue to donate. This is a proud and happy moment for all Indians, British Asians and followers of Gandhi from all over the world.”
