Local community members and elected officials unveiled a new statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Shree Tulsi Mandir Hindu Temple in South Richmond Hill on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. The temple’s original statue was destroyed in a charged hate crime.
Photo by Paul Frangipane
Elected officials unveiled a new Mahatma Gandhi statue outside a South Richmond Hill temple to replace the one that was toppled at the site last year as part of a hate crime.
Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Hindu-American elected to New York State Office, led a ceremony Sunday afternoon outside of Shri Tulsi Mandir, located at 103-24 111th St., following the destruction of the original statue in August 2022. The statue was toppled and smashed with a sledgehammer, with the vandals also spray painting it.
Rajkumar, who played a pivotal role in having the August incident investigated as an Anti-Hindu hate crime, emphasized the community’s strength and unity at the unveiling.
“Hate against Hindu-Americans will not be tolerated in my district, in Queens or anywhere in New York City,” she said, reflecting on the significance of the vandalism being one of the first crimes classified as an anti-Hindu hate crime in New York City.
“Together we showed the world that we are proud Hindu-Americans, we fight hate with love and unity,” Rajkumar added, highlighting the community’s commitment to Gandhi’s principles of love, unity, non-violence, and peace.
Assembly Member David Weprin spoke on the broader implications of the statue, calling it “a great symbol for all of our children to learn from,” and emphasizing Gandhi’s role as the father of a movement that transcends cultural and religious boundaries.
Meanwhile, Council Member Lynn Schulman spoke about the resilience of the community following the vandalism. “The vandalism shocked us but did not destroy our spirit. As we unveil the new Gandhi statue today, we’re doing so with a profound sense of triumph over darkness,”…
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