Assam, 12 July: Doomdooma Town in Assam’s Tinsukia district finds itself at the center of a heated controversy following the removal of a Mahatma Gandhi statue to make way for a Clock Tower construction project. The 5.5-foot-tall statue, a longstanding fixture at Gandhi Chowk, was displaced by an excavator crane last Wednesday, triggering protests from local residents.

Former two-time Congress MLA of Doomdooma, Durga Bhumij, voiced strong opposition to the statue’s relocation, stating, “The Clock Tower should not replace Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. They could have built the Clock Tower elsewhere. Mahatma Gandhi led India’s fight for Independence, and moving his statue from its original place is disrespectful to his legacy. This decision has deeply hurt the sentiments of the people.”

Responding to widespread public backlash, Doomdooma BJP MLA Rupesh Gowala reassured residents on Thursday that a new statue of Mahatma Gandhi, standing taller at 6.5 feet, would be installed at the original site within six months. He underscored plans to enhance the surroundings by removing unsightly structures like electricity transformers, overhead wires, and light poles that previously marred the statue’s vicinity.

Despite assurances of a new statue, concerns persist among locals regarding the juxtaposition of the Clock Tower and Gandhi’s statue. Many argue against placing the Gandhi statue beneath the Clock Tower, which symbolizes British colonial heritage, fearing it could diminish the stature and symbolism of Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy in the town.

The controversy continues to brew as residents await further developments and decisions regarding the town’s architectural landscape and historical symbolism.