Maharajah
Duleep Singh's statue white painted in Thetford
Statue
attack 'racially motivated'
Thetford, March 11, 2005
EDP 24
A town mayor tonight labelled vandals who “desecrated”
a statue of the last ruler of the Sikh nation as “despicable”
and “evil”.
Police are treating the defacing of the towering
memorial of Thetford's 19th century Sikh benefactor,
the Maharajah Duleep Singh, as racially motivated.
Maharajah Duleep Singh was the last Sikh Maharajah
of the Punjab. For many years, he lived a few miles
outside of Thetford at Elveden Hall. He was buried
with his wife and one of his son's at Elveden church.
Another of his son's, Frederick Singh, was a benefactor
of the town.
Townspeople were today horrified to find that white
paint had been poured all over the £50,000 bronze
statue standing on Butten Island, near the centre
of town.
Swastikas and NF, thought to stand for the National
Front Party, were also scrawled over the imposing
figure of Duleep Singh riding a horse.
It is likely to cost thousands to restore the statue,
which is an important tourist attraction forming part
of the only UK-wide Sikh heritage trail, bringing
more visitors into the town.
Town mayor Ray Key declared himself “livid”
and said the vandals who had “desecrated”
the statue should be imprisoned.
Police are carrying out forensic tests on the cans
left behind on the statue, checking CCTV and want
to speak to anybody who may have evidence.
Insp Tim Peacock, of Thetford Police, said the attack
was “of a racial nature” and said the offenders
would be prosecuted “to the full extent of the
law” if caught.
Since it was gifted to the town in 1999, the statue
has remained virtually unmarked, said Mr Key.
“I am absolutely livid about this. I can't put
it into words. They should be put in prison. They
are sick. I cannot find the words for people who act
like this.
“It means a lot to the Sikh nation and we're
very privileged to have it in our town. It's been
a lovely feature in a beautiful area. It has been
desecrated.”
He said Duleep Singh, who was the last Prince of
the Punjab who lived in nearby Elveden Hall, had given
much to the town, for which its people ought to be
grateful.
“We were so pleased and proud to have this statue
in this town. I am ashamed. It is a slur on the town.”
Mr Key said town council workers had already cleaned
the worst of the graffiti off, but that they could
not remove the oil-based paint without permission
from the owners, the Maharajah Duleep Singh Centenary
Trust.
Insp Peacock agreed that the statue means a lot to
the Sikh community.
“We're keen on speaking to anybody who has got
any evidence. It is of a racial nature and offenders
will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,
if we can get the evidence to do so.”
He said pictures had been taken of the graffiti before
it had been removed and officers had removed the paint
cans.
The monument stands as a memorial to the prince 100
years after his death.
A spokesman for the centenary trust has called it
a “recognition of the prince's historical links
with East Anglia and on a wider scale that between
the Sikhs and the British nation.”
The last native ruler of the Punjab, Duleep Singh
transferred his rights to the English in exchange
for a pension and travelled to Suffolk, where in 1863
he bought the Elveden estate. He is buried in the
village churchyard. Duleep Singh's son, Frederick,
gave the Ancient House in Thetford to the town for
use as a museum.
