By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 25: Former central committee organizer, publication secretary and lifetime member of Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX), Prof Bhabani Prasad Adhikari today staged a 12-hour at Dighalipukhuripaar in Guwahati. This fast had been called in support of Dr Nagen Saikia and Homen Borgohain and against AXX general secretary Dr Parmananda Rajbongshi and the “manner in which the Xabha’s affairs” were being conducted.

Prof Adhikari said, “I want to know if AXX is a regional organization or not. If yes, then people who are trying to bring disrepute to the organization should be thrown out.”

He alleged that the AXX was mired in corruption and steps should be taken to put a check on this corruption. He has also demanded that the list of members nominated for the upcoming elections of AXX should be scrapped, as also the amendment made in the constitution of the literary body during the Dergaon convention in February, 2011.

“The president, general secretary and few other office-bearers should resign,” said Prof Adhikari.

AXX, which is the apex literary body of the State, has been in the news following the controversy over the upcoming elections of the literary body. It may be mentioned that Dr Nagen Saikia resigned from the literary body on August 18 and close on the heels of his resignation, former AXX president Homen Borgohain resigned from all his posts in the AXX. They both had said that they were saddened by the way the affairs of the Axam Xahitya Xabha were being conducted and this had prompted them to severe all their ties with the literary body.

On August 23, chief secretary of the Srimanta Sankardeva cell of AXX, Narayan Chandra Deva Goswami resigned from all his posts in the literary body.

Today, around 40 people also staged a hunger strike at Dighalipukhuripaar as a mark of support to Prof Adhikari. One of the protesters, Ram Charan Pathak said, “A person who has been involved in misappropriation of funds in the Axam Xahitya Xabha has been nominated as candidate for the post of president of the Xabha. During 2000 and 2001, the AXX had taken up a project under Central Government funding. For this project the AXX received Rs 1 lakh and of this Rs 50,000 was given to this person to implement the project. However, this project never got underway and there is no trace of this money. How can Dr Parmananda Rajbongshi nominate such a person for election to the post of president of the AXX?”

Organizations like Guwahati Nagarik Santha, Pratima Barua Pandey Kalakrishti Pratisthan and Assam Natya Sanmilan, Dispur branch, have also supported Prof Adhikari’s protest.