Gandhian martyr Valliamma's bust in S Africa destroyed

A newly constructed bust of a teenage martyr, who fought alongside Mahatma Gandhi in his fight against racial discrimination in South Africa, has been destroyed in a mainly Indian township in this country.
The bust of Valliamma Munuswami, the 16-year-old martyr who died in 1914 after contracting pneumonia while imprisoned during a march with Gandhi, was destroyed barely five weeks after it was installed on Heritage Day in Lenasia township.
According to eye witnesses, the bust was destroyed by students in school uniform with iron rods.
Members of the Lenasia community, especially the Tamil community to which Munuswami belonged, were outraged at the vandalism.

The President of the provincial Tamil Federation of Gauteng, Nadas Pillay, condemned the attack, saying: "The unveiling of the bust last month was attended by representatives of all religious, racial and cultural groups, who recognised the role Valliamma played in the struggle."
Gandhi had written about Munuswami as being one of the greatest followers of his Satyagraha movement, Pillay said.
"We can only bemoan the fact that this senseless vandalism was done by insensitive people, who would have benefited greatly if they had read the plaques alongside the bust and be inspired by it," he added.
Renowned Indian-origin South African sculptor Jeram Bhana will now make a second bust of the girl.