Skip to content Skip to navigation

Assam : Where indigenous confronts suspected nationals

Members of SFI-DYFI-AISF-AISA-AIYF along with MP Ajit kumar Bhuyan staging protest against Dhing rape case and demanding security for girls at Dighalipukhuripar, Guwahati on 24-08-24.Pix by UB Photos

During our school days, when the historic Assam agitation broke out, we used to go to Tihu town in western Assam for joining  various protest demonstrations against the outsiders (read non-Assamese Indians) and the movement was initially known as ‘Bohiragata Kheda Andolan’ (literary meaning agitation to deport outsiders) to create a prosperous Assam for the indigenous population. Later it was redefined as the agitation against illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi/East Pakistani nationals) by the intellectuals and media barons in Guwahati, the virtual capital of northeast India. Simultaneously an armed movement also surfaced with an initial trigger from the economic domination of Hindi speaking people in eastern Assam.

After decades, as the mighty river  Brahmaputra keeps on rolling, the issue came alive with an incident in Sibsagar, where a community was compelled to apologize  for a crime committed by  some individuals (belonging to that group). The accused individuals, who physically assaulted a minor female  arm wrestler at Babupatty on 13 August 2024, were already brought to the legal process. But still the entire community (read Marwari) was made responsible for the crime. Shockingly a responsible State minister was present on the occasion, where some aged male &  females were forced to  kneel down to convey the public apology.

The Sibsagar  incident was enjoyed by a number of parochial Assamese individuals terming it as an example of Asomiyagiri (domination of Assamese community). They made it clear that anyone living in Assam must respect the Asomiya language and culture. Otherwise they have to leave the State, the exact narrative that inspired the people of Brahmaputra valley to join the students led agitation. Amazingly, some people in Assam still nurture a day-dream of crafting the State as a land of  Assamese speaking people only. They bluntly defy the argument  that hundreds of thousands of Assamese families (precisely students) today live outside the State as proud Indians.
 
However, the Sibsagar resolution annoyed a large number of logical Assamese personalities who outrighly denounced the attitude of the agitators to construct a strong divide between Asomiya and non-Asomiya nationals. Many social media users pointed out them as senseless and trouble makers in the society. Some advised them to come out of Assam and visit the country with a vivid sense of nationalism with pride. A few urged them to raise voices against the illegal Bangladeshi Muslims, who have emerged as a threat to the locals of Assam. They strongly argued that Asomiyagiri will not survive if those illegitimate foreigners start dominating the politics of the country in  future.

Meanwhile, a forum of nationalist citizens in northeast Bharat came out with a media statement questioning those  Sibsagar revolutionaries if they would stand against the illegal Bangladeshis, who have slowly challenged the entire Assamese culture with a changing demography in the last few decades. Expressing dismay over the attitude, Patriotic Peoples’ Front Assam (PPFA) urged them to support a corrected National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the State with the base year of 1951, so that all illegal immigrants can be (at least) identified, if not they can be deported.

“Since the days of historic Assam movement (1979 to 1985), it’s observed that a large number of local community leaders remain apprehensive about the Hindi speaking residents in the State, but they are too soft against illegal migrants. The classic example was the Assam Accord (singed in presence of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to culminate the six years old agitation), which agreed to recognize hundreds of thousands of East Pakistani nationals (who entered Assam till 24 March 1971) as Indians and to allow to live in Assam,” said the PPFA statement.

Most of the mainland Indians overlook the fact that the cut-off  year to identify an illegal migrant in Assam (not even in other north-eastern States) remains 1971 as it was endorsed by the particular  bureaucratic accord. The argument was put cleverly as why a new nation (Bangladesh) will accept the East Pakistani nationals. Hence New Delhi cannot deport those migrants who entered Assam since the post-independence  days. But the question that arises is, what prevented the student agitators  (led by PK Mahanta) to demand New Delhi to shift the population to other places. After all, the agitation sntached away the lives of over 850 Assamese nationals and an academic year of ours as the educational institutions remained closed for the whole year (1971-80). How come the then Congress government also thought of making Assam a dumping ground for millions of illegal migrants !
 
The ecstasy of success in Sibsagar was however short lived, as a rape incident shook the conscience of the entire Assamese population. A  minor at Dhing area in central Assam faced gang rape on 22 August as she was returning home from tutorial classes in the evening hours.  At least three  youths belonging to the Muslim community on a two-wheeler chased the class x girl and finally overpowered her.  Locals found her in an unconscious condition on a roadside and sent her to a nearby health centre. Later she was shifted to Nagaon town for better treatment.

Hundreds of Assamese women supported by students hit the street and condemned the police forces for its repeated failure to protect the women in their locality. A large number of angry protesters sat on the road with a bright Sunlight on their heads alleged that months back an aged lady was raped in their locality, where the police did only cover ups. They accused the habituated rapists as being suspected migrants and demanded justice for the victim girl. A few of them even chanted slogans demanding an encounter (meaning extra judicial killing) for the monsters.  

Meanwhile, following a call by the Dhing  unit of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU),  all commercial establishments and educational institutions were closed in the locality. AASU president Utpal Sarma demanded stringent actions against the culprits. He expressed serious concern that  the criminals start daring the law enforcement agencies and hence the authority must take serious note over the alarming rise of rape-murder incidents in the State. Criticizing the State home department for its failure to protect the women in their own places, the AASU chief insisted that the indigenous girls must be safeguarded at any cost. The protest demonstrations in Dhing continued for days demanding the arrest of all involved criminals.

Realising the charged situation, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was full of praise for the Sibsagar resolution, made a stern comment through his social media handling over the Dhing incident. Expressing serious concern over it, Sarma  (also in charge of State home portfolio) directed the State police chief GP Singh to rush to the location and ensure swift actions against the monsters. He asserted that the horrific incident at Dhing, involving a minor, was a crime against humanity and the government will not spare the perpetrators.

And the news broke in next day morning hours  that one of the prime accuseds in the gang-rape  died by drowning as he tried to escape police custody by jumping into a pond. Tafajjul Islam, who was arrested after the horrible incident, was taken to the place where it took place for recreating the crime scene. According to the police personnel on duty,  Tafazzul attacked them and tried to escape. After two hours of search by State Disaster Response Force personnel, his body, still handcuffed, was recovered from the pond. The local villagers did not join  in his cremation, as it was conducted by the close family members only.

Meanwhile, a number of protest rallies were organized in different parts of Assam supporting the demand of Dhing-lady agitators. A group of indigenous people’s organisations even issued a deadline to Miyas (indicating Muslims of Bangladesh origin) to leave upper Assam within a week. They were loud & clear that the Dhing rape was committed by the Miyas and urged the government to do the needful. Representatives of All Tai Ahom Students Union, Bir Lachit Sena,  Asomiya Yuva Manch, Asomiya Mahila Manch, All Assam Adivasi Students’ Union, All Assam Chutia Students’ Union, All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union, etc termed the Miyas as cancerous to the Assamese society and insisting on its quick eradication.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Guwahati based photojournalist wins international award

28 May 2013 - 5:30pm | Abdul Gani
Guwahati based photojournalist Manas Paran has won the National Press Photographers Association’s (NPPA) 2013 Best of Photojournalism Annual Contest for his stunning photograph of a leopard attacking...

Annual conference of NEEA begins

30 Oct 2015 - 9:42pm | Abhinav Verma
The 17th Annual Conference of the North Eastern Economic Association (NEEA) has kicked off at Itanagar at Rajiv Gandhi University, Doimukh in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Speaking at the event, ...

Assam bandh paralyzing

20 Dec 2013 - 8:53am | AT News
Normal life stands totally paralyzed on Friday following a 12 hour statewide bandh in protest against the Indo-B'desh boundary ratification bill tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday...

Jatinga Festival from October 27

29 Sep 2010 - 1:59pm | phangcho
Come foggy, windy and a moonless dark night during the months of August, September, October and November – Thousands of birds, both migratory and local types – like King-Fisher, Tiger...

Other Contents by Author

Guwahati, June 2: Senior forest official Brahmananda Patiri, serving as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Chirang division in Assam's Chirang district, passed away on Sunday, June 2, 2024. Patiri, who had been admitted to Nemcare Hospital in Guwahati on Saturday after experiencing health issues during a meeting, breathed his last this morning. Patiri was a well-educated and widely read individual, known for his involvement in cultural and literary activities. His untimely demise has left a significant void in both the forestry sector and the cultural community. People from various communities have extended their deep condolences and are mourning the loss of Patiri, who was...
Panaji: Come June 2, Sunday. A promising workshop on science and technology will fetch no less benefit for the tech-savvy school and college students in Panjim. Courtesy the Ham Radio. Just they need to participate actively June 2nd@Jambul Café, Panjim. The much-awaited 2-hour workshop will take you away to a fascinating world of amateur radio, popularly known as Ham Radio. The topic of the workshop will range from radio waves operation to the see live streaming demonstrations apart from the handling of the real radio equipment. According to the organizers here, it will open the flood gates for the technology-savvy people to get to know the first hand knowledge of the basics of Ham...
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Assam Don Bosco University School of Technology organized a Career Counselling Seminar today. Focus on future-proofing skills: The seminar, addressed by Mr. Partha Pratim Baruah, Founder and Director of Vidhi Analytica, an agri-tech startup based in Guwahati, emphasized the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset. Mr. Baruah encouraged students to develop skills for the future,  comparing them to Lord Ganesha – with a keen sense of future trends (long nose) and a deep understanding of their surroundings (big ears). Bridging the gap between academics and industry:  Mr. Baruah stressed the need to connect classroom learning with...
The North East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) took a significant step towards promoting sustainable agriculture and empowering local communities with the inauguration of a Farmers Field School and Indigenous Seed Bank in Jorhat, Assam. The event, held at Chomoni Chapori, Jhanjimukh, was graced by Padmashri Jadav Payeng, the renowned environmentalist known as the "Forest Man of India." It brought together local farmers, community leaders, and stakeholders to celebrate these initiatives aimed at advancing agroecology and building community resilience. Focus on Sustainable Practices and Seed Sovereignty The Farmers Field School, established in collaboration with local...
Panjim: Jambul Cafe in Panjim resonated with the vibrant melodies of Rongali Bihu as the Assamese community in Goa gathered for a joyous get-together on Sunday, May 12, 2024. The event, organized to celebrate the spirit of Assamese culture and traditions, witnessed enthusiastic participation from young people and families hailing from Assam who have made Goa their home. A highlight of the event was the presence of several talented Assamese artists based in Goa, who graced the occasion with their performances. Mridusmita Sakia, Kamal Rabha, Roshan, Champak, Mintu captivated the audience with their renditions, infusing the atmosphere with the festive fervor of Rongali Bihu. The...
New Delhi: India has emerged as the largest participant in the 9th annual City Nature Challenge (CNC), with 206 Indian cities among the 675 global participants. This collaborative citizen science event, running from April 26 to 29, is organized in India by WWF-India to encourage people to document and share images of wild plants, animals, and fungi using the iNaturalist app. WWF-India is spearheading this initiative across several states, including Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and New Delhi. Neha Raghav, Director of Environment Education at WWF-India, highlighted CNC's importance, saying, "CNC is a great opportunity to engage people of all ages in citizen...
Guwahati: The Assam Don Bosco University buzzed with creativity and entrepreneurial spirit over the past two days as the Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship (IDE) Bootcamp for Student Innovators and Teachers concluded. The event, held on April 9th and 10th, welcomed participants with an opening address by Pushpanjalee Konwar. Chief Guest Prof. Amarendra Kumar Das of IIT Guwahati ignited the minds of the young innovators with a talk on agricultural design and fostering innovative ideas. Mayur Madhukar Borkar then outlined the purpose of the bootcamp and its potential to equip participants with valuable skills. Dr. R. Sujatha kicked off the interactive sessions, dividing...
The Indian Institute of Information Technology Guwahati (IIITG) hosted the fourth edition of its annual Rongali Bihu festival, BOHAGI, on April 7th, 2024. Held at the institute's campus near Tech City, Bongora, the event aimed to promote Assamese culture among students, faculty, staff, and their families from across India. BOHAGI 2024 featured cultural competitions organized by the IIITG Cultural Board, attracting students from various Assamese colleges. This fostered cultural interaction within the academic community and resonated with the "Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat" initiative, promoting national unity. The celebration focused on enriching knowledge about Assamese folk culture,...
Udalguri: In a move seen as part of the Election Commission's efforts to ensure impartiality during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Udalguri Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Election Officer (DEO) Dr. Sadnek Singh was transferred on Tuesday. An order signed by Jadav Saikia, Secretary to the Government of Assam's Personnel (A) Department, reassigned Dr. Singh as Additional Secretary to the Government of Assam's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department. Replacing Dr. Singh is IAS officer Javir Rahul Suresh, who previously served as Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department and held the additional charge of Director of Animal Husbandry...
On the occasion of his birth centenary this year, Jyotiprasad Medhi Award in Mathematical Sciences is announced by his family. Professor Jyotiprasad Medhi was a world renowned scholar in Statistics who was born on 1st July 1924 in Ramdia, Assam. He received his D.Sc. (with Tres Honorable) from the University of Paris (Sorbonne) in 1956 and returned to Assam to teach at Gauhati University where he later became the Head of the Department in Statistics, Dean of Faculty of Science, and Acting Vice-Chancellor. His textbooks on Stochastic Processes and Queueing Theory are widely used for teaching in many academic institutions around the world. He passed away on 3rd February 2017 at the age of 92...