Guruvayur: A newly unveiled statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Guruvayur Municipality’s Bio Park has sparked outrage and ridicule after locals alleged that it bears little resemblance to the Father of the Nation.

The statue — featuring Gandhi’s trademark spectacles and walking stick but lacking any real facial likeness — was unveiled on Sunday by Municipality Chairman M Krishnadas and IAS officer Divya S Iyer. Eyewitnesses said many were visibly stunned when the curtain dropped.

“Just adding glasses and a stick — does that automatically make it Gandhi?” some onlookers were heard asking.

Residents said the statue had been under construction for days, with many expecting a realistic depiction. Instead, the abstract form left them bewildered. Facing a backlash, the municipality clarified that the sculptor had sought to represent Gandhi’s ideals rather than his physical features. The Chairman said the current version is an “abstract phase” and will later be developed into a more complete statue.

Opposition parties, however, have slammed the LDF-ruled municipality for allegedly insulting the Mahatma using public funds.

Congress leader T N Prathapan claimed the statue reflected “an ideological undercurrent sympathetic to Gandhi’s assassins” and announced plans to file a police complaint. Congress workers also staged a hunger strike in front of the municipal office.

KSU Thrissur district president Gokul Guruvayur has submitted a complaint to the District Collector demanding action against the municipal administration for “disfiguring and dishonouring” the national icon.

Meanwhile, the episode has exploded across social media, with memes and criticism flooding platforms as netizens mock the statue’s appearance.