iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in Nebraska on Friday, December 6.
Gov. Jim Pillen, who hosted dignitaries from India, unveiled the Gandhi statue, the first to be placed in the state capitol.
As per reports, Gandhi’s bust was a gift to the state by India.
Speaking to reporters after unveiling the statue, Gov. Pillen said: “Gandhi’s presence has emanated across Nebraska. We’re about love, we’re about life and we’re about peace, and we’re about taking care of each other.”
Apart from Pillen, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, former Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, acclaimed coach Tom Osborne, Consul General of India Prakash Gupta, as well as several members of the Indian American community, attended the event.
Consulate General of India in Seattle and the Governor’s Office in Nebraska had closely collaborated to identify the location of Gandhi’s bust and the Governor’s Office in the State Capitol was deemed the most befitting venue to honor the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, an official news release stated.
Gandhi ji Bust Unveiled at Governor’s Office at Nebraska State Capitol today!
First State Capitol premises (under CGI Seattle’s jurisdiction) to install a Gandhi ji statue.
Thank Governor Jim Pillen for hosting this special ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion and for issuing the… pic.twitter.com/9JXWrOiGmn
— India In Seattle (@IndiainSeattle) December 7, 2024
Governor Pillen also issued an official proclamation, declaring December 6 as “A Day of Remembrance for Mahatma Gandhi” throughout Nebraska.
“The proclamation recognizes Mahatma Gandhi’s role as a global symbol of peace, nonviolence and justice, and that Gandhiji inspired countless individuals and movements around the world with his unwavering commitment to truth and human dignity,” the news release stated.
Nebraska is one of the nine states covered by the newly opened Indian Consulate in Seattle with consular jurisdiction covering Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Alaska.
The unveiling of the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln follows the recent unveiling of the Gandhi bust at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle Center on October 2nd, earlier this year.
(Photo courtesy: twitter.com/IndiainSeattle)