Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal lauds public for maintaining peace

POST-NRC PUBLICATION

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 4: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the restraint and patience shown by the people of Assam more particularly the residents of Barak Valley in view of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s inflammatory remarks and her decision of sending a delegation to Barak Valley “with an evil design to polarize the society” following publication of the complete draft NRC in the State. Sonowal also thanked the people of Barak Valley for the exemplary composure that they exhibited without falling prey to the divisive design of the external forces.

In a statement today, Chief Minister Sonowal also expressed his thanks to the Bengali-speaking people and different organizations scattered across the State for unequivocally registering their protests against West Bengal Chief Minister’s plan of polarizing the State. He also said that since the very beginning of updating the NRC, some vested interests were hell-bound in destabilizing the process by making remarks inimical to the age-old unity prevailing among the people of Barak, Brahmaputra, hills and plains. He however, said that in spite of all evil intensions, people of Assam showcased a remarkable composure and strengthened the friendship and camaraderie among themselves.

Chief Minister Sonowal moreover said, “Assam is a land known for its unity since ages. People belonging to different caste, community, creed and religion symbolize unity which is unique”. Though several attempts were made to disturb this unity, people of Assam showed resilience and reinforced the state’s unity”, Sonowal added.

He also said that the people of Assam are guided by the humanitarian and unifying philosophies of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and Hemanga Biswas. Stating that Assam and Bengal share harmonious relations since ages, Sonowal said that scholar like Ashutosh Mukherjee helped introducing Assamese language in the University of Calcutta. Even Dr. Bhupen Hazarika during the prime time of his career, spent his days at his Tollygunge residence in Kolkata and produced some of his immortal creations both in Assamese and Bengali. Even Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa strengthening the intrinsic relations married Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s grand-daughter Pragya Sundari. Therefore, being the Chief Minister of such a State which has its deep-rooted culture and traditions, Mamata Banerjee should not have made such baseless comments which have got communal undertone aimed at disturbing the strong relations between Assam and Bengal.

Chief Minister Sonowal further said that Assam has a culture and civilization which has been evolved as a result of melting down of different communities and ethnicities which are all embracive and receptive. Exhibiting unique resilience, people of Assam have always shown political maturity. Peacefully accepting the published draft NRC is the testimony of such political maturity of the people of Assam, Sonowal commented.

The Chief Minister said that the NRC has been prepared under direct supervision of the Supreme Court of India with active role of the RGI and it is a document to safeguard the interest of the people of Assam. It is a matter of pride and prestige for the people of the State to be a part of the updating of the NRC and witness the complete draft publication in an atmosphere of complete peace and rejoice. Sonowal at the same time also condemned the alleged move of external forces to vitiate the peaceful environment in the name of NRC. People of Barak, Brahmaputra, hills and plains will never be misled by such evil design, the Chief Minister asserted.

Sonowal also said that the recently published document is just a draft of the NRC. Moreover, all genuine Indian citizens whose names did not feature in the draft, need not to be worried, as they would get ample opportunities to get their names enrolled through disposal of claims and objections.