Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Italy for the 50th G7 Summit from June 13-15, Khalistani separatists defaced a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Italy. Controversial graffiti related to the recently murdered Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was found on the statue's pedestal. Local authorities promptly cleaned the statue upon discovering the vandalism.
Foreign Secretary Mohan Kwatra stated that the incident has been brought to the attention of local officials, who have assured that appropriate actions will be taken against the perpetrators. This is not the first time such an incident has occurred; last year, similar graffiti was found on a Mahatma Gandhi statue on a university campus in British Columbia, Canada.
This marks PM Modi’s first foreign trip after assuming office for the third time, and his fifth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit. The summit will focus on key issues, including the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas conflicts. PM Modi is also expected to meet with US President Joe Biden during this trip.
