Tributes paid to Bhupenda on 90th birth anniversary

AJYCP renews demand for Bharat Rat to music maestro

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Sept 8: Even as Assam remembered music maestro, Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his birth anniversary, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has demanded the Bharat Rat for the the legend.

“Four years have passed since Bhupen Hazarika passed away. The music maestro, his life and contribution to Assam and it people need no introduction. The time has come to immortalize the award winning film maker,” AJYCP president Biraj Kumar Talukdar said in a statement.

“Over the years, we have seen that despite repeated appeals, the Centre has never considered Bharat Rat to the legendary musician acknowledging his immense contribution to the country’s cultural front. The UPA Government did not consider the popular demand to accord the country’s highest civilian award. The NDA Government is not an exception. Instead of honouring the legend, the Congress and BJP-led governments had been politicizing the issue where the real honour has eluded on many occasions,” he said.

“We, therefore, reiterate the demand to posthumously announce Bharat Rat to Dr Bhupen Hazarika at least to show minimum respect to the Great Assamese persolity,” Talukdar added.

Earlier in 2014, then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had requested Prime Minister rendra Modi to honour the state’s cultural icon with the Bharat Rat.

The chief minister, in a letter to the prime minister, had requested Modi to confer the country’s highest civilian honour to Hazarika posthumously.

The demand to honour Hazarika with the Bharat Rat was raised by the state legislative Assembly and his fans across the state and outside, after his death in November 2011.

Hazarika was conferred the second highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan in 2012, the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Shree in 1977.

He received the Sangeet tak Akademi award in 1987 and was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award for lifetime contribution to development of Indian cinema in 1993.

Meanwhile, People from all walks of life today paid rich tributes to their revered singer and musician Bhupenda on his 90th birth anniversary.

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) celebrated the birthday anniversary of the cultural colossus with a day-long programme.

Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, after paying tributes, said Hazarika was truly a global citizen who through his songs and musical creations promoted the concept of universal brotherhood for achieving global peace.

Hazarika’s birth anniversary was also celebrated at Krish Kanta Handique State Open University in Guwahati.

Speaking on the occasion, KKHSOU Vice Chancellor Hitesh Deka said, “People of Assam expected that the Government will honour Bhupenda with Bharat Rat but that was never happened. But the people of the world have awarded him with Viswa Rat.”