The 2-ft bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the storeroom of the municipal corporation’s Patna City circle was not lucky enough to receive visitors on Tuesday.

The Telegraph visited the Patna City circle’s building on Tuesday and found the bust closed in the storeroom. If Gandhians take umbrage at the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s attitude to the Father of the Nation, most of the civic body officials pleaded ignorance.

A report highlighting the condition of the bust was published in this newspaper’s October 1 edition.

When commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal was contacted, he said: “Why are you dragging this matter for so long? What do you want? Don’t ask me further questions.”

With the bust, which is developing cracks, not being used this year, Pal only said the Patna City circle celebrated Gandhi Jayanti without revealing how.

Chandrma Singh, the additional municipal commissioner, said: “I don’t have any idea about this news. You are the first one to tell me about this. So I can’t comment on this. You can ask the officials of Patna City circle. Only they can throw some light on this issue,” he said.

Narendra Nath, executive officer, Patna City circle, who had earlier said he had no clue about the whereabouts of the bust, did not answer to calls.

If the civic body officials pleaded ignorance, residents expressed their displeasure.

“This is a huge insult of Gandhiji. When the entire nation is celebrating his birth anniversary, officials of the civic body’s Patna City circle have kept Gandhiji’s bust in the storeroom of their office building. Their approach speaks of the respect they have for Bapu,” said Ramesh Kumar Agrawal, a Patna City-based businessman.