Why was Mahatma Gandhi's statue set on fire in Yerevan?

The burning of a statue of Indian Independence leader Mahatma Gandhi in the Armenian capital Yerevan has caused a stir in the country's media and social networks, Report informs, citing Sputnik Armenia.

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was erected in Yerevan in 2020. Many Armenians protested against the erection of the bust. They stated that Mahatma Gandhi had good relations with the then leadership of Turkey, led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and did not accept the false genocide allegations put forward by Armenians.

The Indian Embassy in Armenia initially used the word "genocide" on their Twitter page on April 24 but removed it from the text a few hours later.

Armenians shared the burned statue of Mahatma Gandhi on social media and presented it as revenge. The protesters reportedly threw eggs at the bust two days before it was set on fire.

Armenians claim that Armenia unequivocally supports India's position in the conflict with Pakistan. They believe that in this way, they will make India accept their false claims.

A spokesman for the Yerevan Mayor's Office, Hakob Karapetyan, said that the statue of Gandhi was erected at the initiative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. He also stressed that such monuments were erected after scientific substantiation.