An unveiling of a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Kerala has sparked widespread shock and debate, with locals complaining that it looks nothing like the most revered figure in India's freedom struggle.
The incident was reported from Bio Park in Guruvayur Municipality on Sunday. Guruvayur is a suburban town in Thrissur city.
The figure, which people say resembled nothing like Gandhiji except for glasses and a walking stick, left everyone puzzled.
Many started debating if this truly represented the Father of the Nation.
Work on the statue had been going on for days at the Bio Park.
But when the covers came off, those gathered at the ceremony stared in disbelief.
"Is this Gandhi Ji?" many whispered, stunned by what they saw.
Despite the uproar, Guruvayur Municipality Chairman M Krishnadas and IAS officer Divya S Iyer inaugurated the statue.
Opposition parties accused the civic body of insulting Gandhiji, while a furious debate erupted on social media.
The sculptor, it is reported, defended his creation, claiming he had infused Gandhian ideas into the design.
The municipality backed him, saying the statue was an abstract form and would later be completed into a proper likeness.
Chairman Krishnadas dismissed allegations of deliberate insult.
Meanwhile, KSU Thrissur District President Gokul lodged a complaint with the Guruvayur District Collector, demanding strict action against the LDF-led municipality for what he called an insult to Mahatma Gandhi.
He pointed out that the current statue looks like a "tree-shaped" figure rather than the national leader.
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