Assam: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday attended the Shaheed Diwas celebrations organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha at Jamurihat in Sonitpur district and paid tribute to the martyrs of the Assam Movement. Paying tribute, the Chief Minister said, “Shaheed Diwas is a solemn occasion to remember the glorious contribution of the martyrs who defended the honour of Assam. We should not forget those dark days of history when more than 800 innocent and patriotic people of Assam were killed trying to save the honour of their beloved state.” He also emphasised the government’s commitment to preserve Assam’s identity and development. He said, “The state government is working tirelessly to ensure the identity of the people and their development. We are also working towards delimitation to limit the influence of infiltrators.
Besides, the state government has freed 10,000 hectares of land from encroachment.” Remembering Kharageswar Talukdar, the first martyr of the Assam Movement, Sarma said, “The supreme sacrifice of Kharageswar Talukdar sent shockwaves across the state and the country. Inspired by him, more than 800 others laid down their lives for the state.” He said the Assam Movement was a determined movement to protect the state and its people from illegal migration. “Even after decades, the uncertainty prevailing in Assam is still not over. The state is still facing the dangers of demographic change. The indigenous people of Assam are losing rights over their land every day. In view of this, the state government is working to protect the land rights of the people of the state. Despite criticism, the government successfully evicted illegal settlers from Gorukhuti.
In the last three years, the government has worked tirelessly to secure the land rights of the indigenous people, including by removing encroachments in Kaziranga,” the chief minister said. He also spoke about initiatives to protect Assam’s culture. Sarma said, “The 125 feet high statue of Veer Lachit Borphukan at Hollongapar in Jorhat and translation of books written on Lachit Borphukan into different languages reflect the government’s commitment. Efforts like granting UNESCO World Heritage status to Charidev Moidam, classical language status to Assamese and establishment of Kanaklata University in Gohpur reflect our dedication towards preserving the rich heritage of Assam.” Paying tributes to the martyrs of the Assam Agitation, Sarma announced the near completion of the construction of a memorial in Guwahati with a financial outlay of Rs 100 crore. “It will be a mark of respect to those who sacrificed their lives for the state,” he said. He also highlighted the role of the delimitation exercise in protecting indigenous rights. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the delimitation of 126 constituencies in Assam has secured at least 105 constituencies for the indigenous people,” he said.
