A monument to the leader of the Indian independence movement Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in London.
A bronze statue of Gandhi, who stood for liberation from the British colonizers, is located in Parliament Square where, as Reuters reports, there are mainly monuments to celebrities who served the British Empire, including that of Winston Churchill, an opponent of Indian independence.
Churchill, who despised Gandhi and his methods, declared in 1931 that "it is sickening to see Gandhi, a lawyer who now presents himself as a fakir, walking limp in front of the Grand Palace in India."
However, nearly seven decades since India gained independence from Great Britain in 1947, primarily thanks to Gandhi's peaceful campaign of civil disobedience, the two countries have very strong relations and continue to enhance economic cooperation.
The monument in London, 2,7 meters high, was unveiled by Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in the presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, on the occasion of commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gandhi's return to India from South Africa.
"This commemoration is of an important historical moment as we celebrate the strong ties between our two countries," Giantlay said.
"India and Great Britain share the same values and we are equal partners. A long-lasting friendship is just one of the many legacies of Gandhi," he added.
Cameron stated that the monument is proof of a special friendship between the oldest democracy in the world - Britain, and the most populous one - India.
"This statue is a magnificent tribute to one of the most outstanding figures in the history of world politics," said the British prime minister. "Many of his teachings are just as valuable today as they were in his day."
Indian film star Amitabh Bachchan and Gandhi's grandson Sri Gopalkrishna Gandhi also addressed the ceremony.
The author of the monument is the British sculptor Philip Jackson, and the statue was inspired by a photograph of Gandhi standing in front of the office of the British Prime Minister in 1931.
The committee that raised the money for the statue decided that Gandhi's statue should be lower than the others in the square because Gandhi considered himself a man of the people.
Gandhi's monument is located between the statues of former US President Abraham Lincoln and South African President Nelson Mandela.
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