CALL FOR A MUSEUM STOKED CONTROVERSY IN ASSAM

A proposal made by an MLA in Assam has recently stoked controversy in the state. While the MLA defended his stand in the name of preserving the culture and heritage of a particular community, politicians, intellectuals and common men have ridiculed it as a vested political interest. Northeast Today writes

On October 19, Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, who represents the Baghbar Assembly constituency in a letter written to the Director of Museums has sought an establishment of a museum reflecting the culture and heritage of the people living in the char-chaperons (river islands or sandbars) at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, a center in Guwahati showcasing the State’s cultural heritage.

Speaking to media, Ahmed said, “As the people living in char areas are mostly referred to as ‘Miya’, I have proposed to the government to establish a museum that would highlight and reflect the culture and heritage of the Miya people.”

Soon enough his idea of establishing a museum for the “people of the Char-Chaporis” was put into the trash when State Health & Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rejected the idea of setting it up in Kalakshetra.

“In my understanding, there is no separate identity and culture in Char Anchal of Assam as most of the people had migrated from Bangladesh. Obviously, in Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, which is the epitome of Assamese culture, we will not allow any distortion. Sorry MLA ‘Sahab’,” said Sarma.

The cultural centre is named after Sankaradeva, a 15th-16th century saint-reformer who had propagated Vaishnavism across present-day Assam and beyond.

Congress Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khaleque reacted saying“..ancestors of the people living in Char-Chapori areas had migrated from the erstwhile East Bengal, which was an integral part of undivided India. Kindly don't distort history more just for the sake of getting power.”