Gandhiji's portraits defaced at Gandhi Memorial Museum

Barrackpore, May 29 (UNI) Many portraits and pictures of the Father of the Nation, preserved and exhibited at the Gandhi Smarak Sangrhalaya(Gandhi Memorial Museum) here at Barrackpore Cantonment area were allegedly defaced.

At least five pictures were also stolen from the museum, sources within the Museum said.

''The sordid state of the museum was evident when the doors of the museum was opened yesterday morning,'' the source said.

''Miscreants had painted hair on his head, mostache and inscibed the words "I Love You" all over the photographs of Gandhiji'', sources added.

Besides, they tore all the captions of the photographs displayed by the Museum in its exhibition hall.

While the incident had shocked the Museum's Director Dr Suprio Munshi, he was, however, reluctant to talk to the media in this regard yesterday.

Nevertheless, the matter was yet to be brought to the notice of the police.

''Nothing was reported in this connection on behalf of the Museum authorities,'' police said today.

Incidentally, while addressing the press during his visit at the Gandhi Ashram at Sodepur in February, Governor of West Bengal Gopal Krishna Gandhi said that the maintenance of security to the museum at Barrackpore was the concern of the government and they would look into the matter.

UNI