Mahatma Gandhi statue removed from Ghana's prestigious university after students protest

Accra, Dec 17: A statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been removed from Ghana's most prestigious university following complaints that he was racist against black Africans.

The statue, installed at the University of Ghana in capital Accra, was removed last week after protests from students and faculty.

The statue was unveiled by former president Pranab Mukherjee two years ago as a symbol of ties between the two nations.

According to AFP news agency, lecturers soon began a petition calling for its removal, citing passages written by Gandhi claiming that Indians were "infinitely superior" to black Africans. The online protest was one of a number on university campuses in Africa and beyond about the enduring symbols of the continent's colonial past.

The Gandhi statue on the university's Legon campus in Accra appeared to have been removed overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, students and lecturers said.

(With agency inputs)