The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday strongly condemned the vandalism and theft of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Melbourne, and said it had taken up the matter with Australian authorities.Responding to media queries, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the statue was removed by unidentified persons and described the incident as a matter of serious concern.“We strongly condemn the vandalisation and removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue located at the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne by unidentified people,” Jaiswal said.He added that India had “strongly raised the matter with Australian authorities” and urged them to take immediate steps to recover the missing statue and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.The Mahatma Gandhi statue at the centre is regarded as a symbol of peace, non-violence and the shared democratic values between India and Australia, and holds particular significance for the Indian diaspora.The ministry said it expected swift action by the Australian authorities in investigating the incident and preventing such acts in the future.