Himanta Biswa Sarma to verify Mahatma Gandhi statue demolition for clock tower in Tinsukia

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on July 12, expressed his concern over reports that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was broken at Gandhi Chowk in Tinsukia, to make way for the construction of a clock tower. 

Reacting to the news, Sarma said, "I am not aware of this decision taken by the district administration. Let me verify the facts. Assam owes so much to Mahatma Gandhi. He stood firmly with Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi when the Congress party led by Nehru wanted to include Assam in Pakistan under the Grouping Plan."

ALSO READ | Assam government mandates local language proficiency for government jobs in state

The incident has sparked massive protests in Doomdooma, where locals gathered to condemn the act. Demonstrators expressed their outrage at the removal of the 5.5 ft tall statue of the revered leader.

Condmening the action, author Tushar Gandhi shared a post on X, in which he said, "Not surprising that the BJP Government in Assam decided to replace Bapu’s statue with a clock tower in Tinsukia. Their slavish colonial hangover persists."

ALSO READ | Himanta Biswa Sarma bats for healthy family planning on World Population Day

Protesters are demanding a thorough investigation into the decision and the immediate restoration of the statue.

Doomdooma BJP MLA, on July 11, assured that a new and taller statue of 6.5 feet of Gandhi would be constructed at the original site within 6 months, in addition to the clock tower.