By Rabindra Nath Sinha
Has Himanta Biswa Sarma, who became chief minister of Assam on May 10, 2021 and is hoping for a repeat term, been fair with the Bengalis in the Barak Valley? The Barak Valley which is a prominent geographical and administrative region of the southernmost part of Assam has three districts – Cachar, Sribhumi (earlier known as Karimganj) and Hailakandi. The valley has a distinct cultural identity and the strong Bengali presence apart, communities living here include Dimasa, Manipuri, Rongmei Naga and Hmar. The region derives its name from the Barak river.
The polling to the 126 member Assam assembly is due on April 9. Barak valley seats are important for the third time win for the BJP led NDA in the state. The Congress led opposition alliance has intensified its momentum if campaign and has focused on Barak valley seats. It will be seen whether the anger of Barak residents at Himanta’s attitude gets due reflection in the Thursday polling.
At a media conference held at the state BJP HQs on Thursday, March 5 in Guwahati, Sarma was heard declaring that BJP does not view ‘miya muslims’ as its enemies. The declaration marked, as it did, a glaring volte-face by the chief minister in the face of widespread public reaction against his targeting ‘miya muslims’ ceaselessly through February and even going to the extent of asking ‘non-miya-muslims’ (he really meant the Hindus), to maltreat them. ‘Miya’, although a respectable term in other parts of the country, is used in this part as a pejorative for Bengali-speaking or Bengali-origin muslims, often labelled Bangladeshis or “illegal immigrants”. On that occasion, he also sought to convey that BJP was comfortable with anyone who loves the nation and says ‘Bharat mataki jai (victory to Mother India or Vande Mataram’ without hesitation.
Sections practicing communal politics as part of their hidden agenda are subtly trying to stretch a point and label Bengalis living in the Barak Valley as Bangladeshis. They may not have succeeded in their nefarious design, but their very thought is sufficient to cause concern to the Bengalis living in the valley through the decades, from much before the Independence. When asked to comment about this new tactics of the practitioners of divisive politics, Cachar district secretary of Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammilan Uttam Kumar Saha told this correspondent: “If some people have told you about this trend, they must have conveyed their feelings. We have strong attachment with the region. We hope the Bengalis will continue to live in peace and, as usual, contribute to its development”.
The representation of the Barak Valley in the Assam Assembly has shrunk to 13 seats from the previous 15 seats after the controversial delimitation exercise carried out in August 2023. The boundaries of several constituencies were redrawn and several of them became part of history. Like on the ‘miya muslim’ issue, people in large numbers including the minorities resented the outcome of the delimitation exercise.
The most emotive issue that till today remains unaddressed by the political authorities is the demand of the Bengali community to rename the Silchar railway station as ‘Bhasha Shahid railway station’ as a tribute to the 11 ‘language martyrs’. Despite the ‘no objection certificate’ from the Union home ministry in 2016 towards the concluding stage of Tarun Gogoi-led Congress ministry, the successor BJP-led NDA ministry in Assam has not only not taken the necessary follow-up action but also tried in its way to complicate matters. And that has happened during Sarma’s term as chief minister. In a statement made last year, he said NOC from the Centre was pending as alternatives were also there. Sources told IPA News he was possibly referring to a Dimasa tribal freedom fighter without any kind of mentionable link with the Silchar railway station.
It is now part of history that on May 19, 1961 eleven persons, who had collected to protest the imposition of Assamese as the only official language, were killed by the police. The agitation was organised at Silchar, which is the epicenter of the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley. [The first names of the 11 persons mentioned in the Shahid Minar memorial that had been erected by the community leadership and recorded in the Ananda Bazar Patrika edition of March 29 were : Kamal, Kanai, Birendra, Satindra, Hemanta, Sukomal, Hitesh, Kumud, Sudhir, Chandicharan and Kamala, who was then just 16 year-old. The proposal to rename the Silchar railway station had been hanging fire and despite the home ministry’s NOC, though considerably delayed, the chief minister instead of acting on it, spoke of alternatives. Which simply means Sarma is not inclined to initiate follow-up action, despite knowing well that the matter is of considerable sentimental value for the Barak Valley Bengalis. Saha told IPA News : “We have been waiting ; our option is to persuade the authorities and wait. Let’s see how long the wait turns out to be. What else can I say”.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha: JMM and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has put up candidates on 21 constituencies, enhancing the competition in this prime north-eastern state, where BJP-led NDA is defending its regime for the second time. Soren is eyeking support from the large number of tea tribes and advasis, who according to him, remain a neglected lot in Assam. He has already campaigned, urging the identified electors to opt for JMM candidates. Around 60 lakh tea tribe and adivasi electors matter in 30-35 constituencies. Apart from the urge to establish JMM’s footprint in Assam, Soren’s decision has important political implications. The JMM-led combine in office in Jharkhand has the Congress as its key ally. So, if JMM succeeds in making a mark, the Congress-led combine in Assam will be keen to have JMM as its new ally in Assam. (IPA Service)
