Chord of Harmony: The Sattras & Dargahs of Assam, like the subjects themselves, is actually a reflection of the philosophy of humanism and universal brotherhood propagated by the great saints of Assam, Srimanta Sankardeva and Azaan Pir—a philosophy nurtured and carried forward by the later apostles and followers of both the saints. The Sankardeva movement, spearheaded by the Vaishnavite monasteries called the sattras, not only watered down the system of discrimination on the basis of caste, but also strived to save the society from practices of religious bigotry and untouchability by creating a system of harmonious co-existence. If the sattras remind people of Sankardeva’s contribution to social cohesion and the socio-cultural and literary resurgence in Assam, the dargahs, as the graves of the Muslim spiritual leaders are known, have remained the strongest symbols of the teachings of the Muslim pirs who did come to spread Islam, but stressed on unity among people of all faiths. No wonder, these dargahs spread across Assam are a favourite destination of both Muslims and Hindus, besides people of other faiths. Wasbir Hussain and Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta bring out the stories of these religious leaders who were great unifiers of people by featuring some of the sattras and dargahs.
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A fruitful peace process is set to come up in the discussion between Assam Chief Minister Taun Gogoi and Union home minister P Chidambaram in Delhi on Tuesday. Chidambaram is set to discuss the law...
A fresh orgy of violence erupted in Kokrajhar on Tuesday where the Rajdhani Express was attacked by some persons even as the entire train services to and from the Northeast was hit. Unidentified persons pelted stones and attacked the coaches of the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express at Gossaigaon in Kokrajhar district damaging four coaches, though there was no casualty or injuries. The train has been turned back and halted at Kamakhyaguri station bordering West Bengal, but the authorities were considering to take it to Coochbehar.
BJP on Tuesday came down heavily on the government for the escalating violence in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri district where 25 people were killed and 500 families have been displaced. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, party spokesman Nirmala Sitharaman said that the violence is communal and that the prime minister should immediately issue a statement. She further called it is a problem of illegal migrants. According to her, “Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was trying hard not to call the violence communal but we know it is so as informed by our team vising the state,”. Meanwhile, a special home ministry team will be rushed to Assam to assess the security...
Around 400- minority groups staged demonstration in front of the Assam Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Shouting slogans against Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the protesters demanded the scrapping of the BTAD. The Home ministry has asked for the additional deployment of 24 troops to Kokrajhar district. The ministry has commissioned 24 more companies to be deployed in the towns of Dhubri and Chirang. According to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Dispur was monitoring the situation, and confirmed that nearly 50,000 people had fled their homes in the restive Kokrajhar district.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday called up Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and took stock of the situation prevailing in Kokrajhar and Chirang. During the telephonic conversation, the prime minister directed Gogoi to do everything possible to control the violence. The prime minister also promised Gogoi more central assistance. Sporadic incidents of violence and arson are continuing in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts. The situation was tense in Bongaigaon and Udalguri districts. Around 70 houses in four villages at Bijni in Chirang district were torched. Over 50,000 people are housed in relief camps.
The Assam police are likely to get Amarjyoti Kalita on the transit remand on Tuesday a day after the prime accused in the G S Road case was arrested in Varansi. The police team from Guwahati has arrived in Varansi to procure him in their remand.Amarjyoti would be produced before a local court on Monday. He would be brought back to Guwahati on Tuesday or Wednesday.
In a major breakthrough, the prime accused in the gory GS Road incident Amarjyoti Kalita surrendered before Varanashi police on Monday. Kalita, a casual employee with Amtron, was on the run after police identified him along with 15 others. He is identified the main culprit of the entire episode where a teenaged girl was molested and stripped by miscreants for 30 minutes in the absence of police. A special investigation team set up to probe the case held 15 miscreants including a journalist and the operation to nab the prime accused. A team of police is on the way to Varanashi to get him in transit remand on Tuesday.
Two persons were killed and 10 others have been injured when a Tata mobile carrying them met with a tragic mishap near Jorhat on Monday. The mishap took place at Badulipar in Teok when the vehicle carrying a group of devotees rammed into a roadside tree on the NH 37 on the way to Sivasagar. Two devotees died on the spot while the injured have rushed to the hospital.
Tarun Gogoi has directed the district authorities in Kokrajhar and Chirang to take stern action to check the violence which has left 14 dead. Talking to reporters on Sunday, he condemned the violence in the district and directed the authorities to take strong measures to stop the violence. He said that he has also directed the police, army and paramilitary to take all possible measures to prevent further outbreak of violence.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday congratulated Pranab Mukherjee on his victory in the Presidential poll. Talking to reporters he exuded hope that he would provide guidance to the government and the country. Gogoi said,”On behalf of the people of Assam, I congratulate him and wish him all the best.”
ULFA’s anti-talk faction on Sunday blamed it all on the government’s divisive policies for the violence in Kokrajhar that claimed the lives of 15 people. In a statement sent to media, the outfit said that the governments have always attempted to divide the people of the state on communal lines and the recent disturbing incidents in Kokrajhar reflect this trend.
According to ULFA, it is sad that in the land where people of different communities and religion have been living in peace and harmony such incidents of violence and hatred was taking place.
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