Assam Govt Declares Holiday in Cachar to Honour Late BJP Veteran Kabindra Purkayastha

Guwahati: The Assam government has declared a one-day holiday in Cachar district as a mark of respect following the demise of veteran public figure Kabindra Purkayastha, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.

In a message shared on social media, the Chief Minister said the decision was taken to honour Purkayastha’s contributions and to allow people across the district to pay their respects.

He described the gesture as an expression of the collective grief felt by the people of the region.

Sarma said the late Kabindra Purkayastha was remembered for his meaningful role in public life and his enduring legacy, which, he added, would continue to inspire many.

"HCM Dr. @himantabiswa-led Govt of Assam has announced a one-day holiday in Cachar district as a mark of respect on the demise of the Late Kabindra Purkayastha. This solemn gesture reflects the collective grief of the people and honours his meaningful contributions, giving everyone an opportunity to offer tribute and remember his life and enduring legacy," he wrote on X.

Purkayastha, regarded as one of the pioneers of right-wing politics in the Northeast, passed away on Tuesday at Silchar Medical College and Hospital. He was 94.

Fondly remembered as the patriarch of the Assam BJP, Purkayastha was among the founding figures who laid the party’s ideological and organisational foundations in the region. Even after stepping away from active politics, he continued to command deep respect within the party, with senior leaders and ministers often seeking his guidance.

Born on December 15, 1931, Kabindra Purkayastha was a senior BJP leader from Assam and a former Union Minister of State. He served as Minister of State for Communications in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government between 1998 and 1999.

Over a long and distinguished political career, Purkayastha earned wide admiration for his role in shaping the BJP’s growth in Assam and for his contributions to public life at both the state and national levels.

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