Mahatma Gandhi, who was at the forefront of efforts to end British rule in India and was repeatedly imprisoned, is to be honoured outside Britain's Parliament. (File photo)
Mahatma Gandhi, who was at the forefront of efforts to end British rule in India and was repeatedly imprisoned, is to be honoured outside Britain's Parliament, British Finance Minister George Osborne said.
Mr Osborne, on a trip to New Delhi to meet the new government of Narendra Modi, tweeted that Britain would "honour his memory with statue in front of mother of parliaments" in Parliament Square.
It is perhaps fitting as lots of protests are often held in the Parliament Square, which is not only a big draw among tourists but also a spot for some greats from British history - such as David Lloyd George, Jan Smuts, Sir Robert Peel and many other British Prime Ministers.
Mr Osborne told NDTV that Mahatma Gandhi is an inspiration for the whole world. "It will be a memorial for Britain-India relationship," he said.
When asked people at the Parliament Square welcomed the decision. "I think it is a good idea. London and the UK is multicultural and multi-ethnic friendly. We have Nelson Mandela on one side..why not have Mahatma Gandhi on the other?" said one person.
Another person said, "Since it is going to be on the same square as Churchill it is ironic and funny. But on the other hand 70 years of history has gone back and people have revisited many of the events and India is where India is now - quite a powerful country and up and coming and maybe it is time."
It is a quirk of history that his statue will be placed alongside Winston Churchill's statue - the great British Prime Minister who once called the Mahatma Gandhi a 'half-naked Indian fakir'.
Philip Jackson, who has been tasked with sculpting the statue, told NDTV, "I am delighted and honoured to have been asked to produce a monument for Mahatma Gandhi to stand in Parliament Square, London. The great man has been an influence and example to people in this country and in India all my life and so it will be a great pleasure undertaking the work."
Opposition Labour MP Keith Vaz from Leicester welcomed the move but exhorted the British government to concede to another long standing demand. He said, "It would be a very nice gesture..the statue is a great good idea and we support it. But of course we do have in this country a number of things that belong to India and the Kohinoor diamond does belong to India... Maybe Mr. Osborne and Mr. Hague while they're out there may also hand it back."