We need to work together to wipe off everybody's tears: CM Himanta

House recalls freedom fighters

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Maybe, in a first of its kind, the Assam Legislative Assembly had a special session to deliberate on Assam's contributions to the struggle for independence. The session was on the occasion of the Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav.

Both treasury and opposition benches recalled the freedom fighters and the freedom movement.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma started his speech by showing honour to the freedom fighters and martyrs. He said, "We have celebrated 75 years of independence this year as 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. The Prime Minister did appeal to all to celebrate the Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav. The 13th-15th August Har Ghar Tiranga celebrations were the best part of the Mahotsav in Assam. People have made it a mass movement rather than a government programme. The general mass bought the national flags stitched by various self-help groups (SHGs). Despite the Assam bandh, people celebrated Independence Day and displayed their love for the nation as Indians. Rebel groups called Assam bandh, but mass people let them (rebels) know that they (people) have no separatist tendency. And it won't ever be. I appealed to the rebel groups in the Independence Day speech to come forward for peace talks within the parameters of sovereignty."

The Chief Minister recalled freedom fighters like Maniram Dewan, Piyali Barua, Bahadur Gaon Burha, Gomdhar Konwar, Kanaklata, Rupahi Aideo, Kamala Miri and others.

He said, "British India imprisoned many freedom fighters from the Northeast, including our Bahadur Gaon Burha, at the cellular jail in the Andamans. They lost everything there. The new generation needs to know all these. We will send 1,000 youths to the Andamans to study the freedom fighters.

In 1861, India's first farmers' uprising, Phulguri Dhewa, occurred in the Nagaon District when the British hiked land tax. However, the nation knows little about this farmers' uprising. We need to let the nation know about it. The second farmers' uprising in the state was at Patharughat in the Darrang district. Over 100 farmers fell to the bullets of the British. Such massacres took place at Jalianwala Bagh also. And that got full hype in the nation. We could not make the Patharughat uprising well known to everybody."

The Chief Minister said, "British hanged many freedom fighters in the Jorhat Jail. We will construct an 'Amrit Udyan' in a 150-bigha plot on the jail premises in memory of the freedom fighters. Students, women, xatradhikars and others took to the streets during the freedom movement. One hundred and fifty students of Cotton College took part in the freedom movement, giving up their studies. Many students of the then Sylhet district of Assam gave up their studies and joined the freedom movement. The women of Assam took part in the non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements. The freedom movement was massive in the Barak Valley also. The British arrested MLAs and Xatradhikars for taking part in the freedom movement. We recall all those great souls. The Assam Legislative Assembly also has a history of contribution to the freedom movement. The Assembly came up in 1937, second only to that of Uttar Pradesh in the country."

The Chief Minister said, "Our independence will be true to the term when we will wipe off the tears of every person. We need to work united to make that happen."

MLAs Basanta Das, Hafiz Bashir Ahmed, Padma Hazarika, Aminul Islam, Biswajit Phukan, Utpal Bora, Minister Atul Bora, Minister UG Brahma, Minister Ajanta Neog and others also spoke and recalled the freedom fighters.

AIUDF MLA Hafiz Bashir Ahmed said, "Coordination, integrity and fellow-feeling can only ensure our independence true to the term."

BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan said, "We are erecting a memorial of the freedom movement at Sukan Nala in the Sarupathar LAC."

Congress MLA Basanta Das said, "The government should name the proposed Amrit Sarovars after the freedom fighters."

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