By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, March 20: As many as seven tribal organizations have flocked together so as to, what they say, keep the blame game that has emerged after the burning of the Tribal Museum located at Sopur at bay.
Talking to newsmen in the museum campus at Sopur today, All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) joint secretary Dhiren Ingti said: “The inquiry ordered into the burning of the museum should be made a fast-track one and the guilty be punished, besides reconstructing the museum.”
The other tribal bodies that took part in the press meet are the Rabha People’s Forum (RPF), Dimasa Students’ Association (DSA), Karbi Students’ Union (KSU), the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union (AASKSU) and the All Assam Modahi Jajati Students’ Chatra Santha.
The tribal bodies said that it was unfortute that the museum has been gutted. It was an effort to get the culture and tradition of all tribes in the Northeast focussed in one platform. The responsibility of its upkeep was given to a tribal youth, Bhuban Gam, after signing an agreement on a PPC mode. The museum, according to the tribal bodies, was in the South East Assian Eco-Museum model.
The seven tribal bodies, however, are sceptical of the comments made by an Inter-Dimoria Regiol Students’ Union (IDRSU) leader, who said: “The museum is no longer a tribal museum. It is has been made a den for drinking and gambling by the Gam bahini. Gam should be arrested immediately.”
Ingti said: “How come the AASU leader accuse Gam like this? If he was aware of all such irregularities before, he should also be brought under the purview of the inquiry. At a time when all tribal bodies have been working in tandem with the AASU, how come he, as the leader of an AASU branch, speaks such things without even delving into the truth of facts? Such allegations have hurt the sentiment of not only Gam, but also that of all tribal people who helped Gam in the arduous task of collection of pieces for the museum. He has no right to hurt the tribal sentiment.”
On the allegation of IMFL being sold at the museum, the tribal bodies said: “The agreement has allowed the selling of indigenous local tribal liquor. However, since standard bottling of the local liquor is still a non-happening, such liquors are brought to the museum in IMFL bottles. The AASU is trying to divert the issue to an unwanted direction.”
The museum was iugurated by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on February 27, 2014. The cost of construction of the museum was over Rs 10 crore.
As many as 11 cottages of different ethnic tribes were gutted in the fire which began from the Mizo cottage. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as yet. The loss of property is around Rs 1.5 crore.
An inquiry into the fire has been ordered. Kamrup (Metro) ADC Rajib Prakash Gogoi will inquire into the incident.