![\"ghandi-defaced1\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ghandi-defaced1.jpeg\")
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A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration on Wednesday [October 5] described as \u201cunfortunate verbal attacks\u201d, allegations of Mahatma Gandhi being a racist not worth honoring with a statue.<\/p>\n
It said the comments are an \u201cattack on an Indian Nationalist Hero and icon who is revered and cherished by over one billion people who are either citizens of India or persons of Indian decent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ministry lamented the comments and agitations against the situation of the statue on the University had the potential of creating disaffection for Ghana at the level of Government relations and among Ghanaians across the world.<\/p>\n
The Ministry also emphasized that government erected the statue on the University of Ghana campus with the consent of the University\u2019s authorities saying \u201cThe University was not compelled by government to accept the statue.\u201d<\/p>\n
It added that, \u201cWhile acknowledging that human as he was, Mahatma Gandhi may have had his flaws, we must remember that people evolve.\u00a0 He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government would, therefore want to relocate the statue from the University of Ghana to ensure its safety and to avoid the controversy on the Legon Campus being a distraction of our strong ties of friendship that has\u00a0 existed over the years.<\/p>\n
To this end, the Ministry is urging Ghanaians to look beyond the comments attributed to Mahatma Gandhi and acknowledge his role as one of the most outstanding personalities of the last century who demonstrated that non-violent,\u201d the statement concluded.<\/p>\n
\u2018Remove<\/strong>\u00a0\u2018racist\u2019 Gandhi\u2019s statue from Legon\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n A former Director of the Institute of African Studies, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, in September started a campaign demanding the\u00a0removal of the statue of Indian independence icon<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, Mahatma Gandhi, from the University of Ghana campus.<\/p>\n Prof Adomako Ampofo together with another academic at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr.\u00a0Obad\u00e9le Kambon, urged members of the University of Ghana Council to heed to the petition arguing among other things that, Gandhi was racist against black people and honoring him sets the wrong example for students.<\/p>\n![\"Prof.](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/maiden5.jpg\")
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