By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Dhruba Jyoti Borah, Asam Sahitya Sabha (ASS) president, has urged the people of the state to march ahead together for a better tomorrow leaving aside the narrow boundaries of religion but as one greater Assamese society.
The Muslims, who have accepted Assamese culture for ages, are also an integral part of the greater Assamese society. We have said that if we need to move ahead for better days, there is no point of thinking on the lines of religion. Covering all the religion, we need to think on the basis of language, we need to build a greater Assamese society. Otherwise we will be doomed,” Borah said while talking on the topic ‘Present situation in Assam and the Muslim Society’ on the occasion of Al-Ameen Janakalyan Samaj annual general meeting here on Sunday.
Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dhruba Jyoti Borah addressing the 12th annual meeting of the Al-Ameen Janakalyan Samaj at Bishnu Nirmala Bhawan in Guwahati.
On the much talked issue – ‘Assamese definition’ – of the recent past in the state, Borah, who is a doctor by profession, said it’s the responsibility of the government. “Sahitya Sabha has not felt it necessary to give a definition in the wide Assamese society. According to us all, the Indian nationals irrespective of their community, language, religion and place of origin, who accept Assamese as their mother tongue, or either their second or third language, they are an integral part of greater Assamese society,” Borah added.
Slamming the government for not taking any steps in this regard, he said, by giving the responsibility to the Sahitya Sabha, the representatives of the public proved that they have not done it for the last 30 years. “Nobody has spoken openly but what everybody is trying is to leave aside the Muslims who have come to Assam in between the time period of 1951 to 1971. A section of fundamentalist does not even want the Muslims who have come to the state even before 1951 to be in the ‘Assamese’ definition. Here Sabha’s stand is clear. We have not given definition but we have prepared the path to move ahead,” Borah said.
Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dhruba Jyoti Borah, filmmaker Abdul Mazid and Al-Ameen Janakalyan Samaj’s president Taufiqur Rahman Borbora unveiling a book on ‘Heritage of Assamese Muslims’ in Guwahati on Sunday.
The definition is required to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to Assamese people under Clause Six of the Assam Accord that was signed in 1985. “The Muslims who have arrived since the early 1900s, except a few in Barak Valley, have used Assamese language as their primary language for exchange of thought, means of education and all. They have even adopted Assamese as their mother tongue. So, they are an integral part of the Assamese society,” Borah added.
He also said that the major tribes have their own languages in the state to communicate but their second language is Assamese. “Even the people of Marwari, Gujrati and other communities from other states who have been living in the state for a long time have grown up studying Assamese in schools. Though their first language is Hindi but their second language is Assamese,” he said.
Sabina Farheen, a student of Sudarshan Public School, Khalapara, Kamrup Metro District, who stood 8th in the last HSLC examination conducted by SEBA, receiving her award from Al-Ameen Janakalyan Samaj in Guwahati on Sunday.
Borah also unveiled the souvenir that was brought out by Al-Ameen Society to mark its 12th anniversary.
At the outset, Fakil Ahmed Bora, secretary general, Al-Ameen Society, explained the aims and objectives of the Society following which a book on the heritage of Muslims of Assam was unveiled by the prominent filmmaker Abdul Mazid. This is the third publication in the research-oriented series ‘Muslims of Assam’ envisaged and implemented by the Al-Ameen Society.
Iliyas Khan Rana and Sabina Farheen, who were among the top 10 students of the last High School Leaving Certificate examination conducted by the Secondary Board of Education, Assam were honoured with Adilur Rahman Memorial gold medal and cash award of Rs 10,000 each extended by the family of Adilur Rahman, a front ranking entrepreneur of Assam, who was assassinated by militants three years ago.
Khandkar Shoaib, who topped the list of candidates passing the High Madrassa Examination, conducted by the Madrassa Board of Assam, received the Ataur Rahman Borbora Memorial Gold Medal and cash award of Rs 10,000.
Presiding over the function, Taufiqur Rahman Borbora, former Principal of Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh and president, Al-Ameen Society, informed the audience that the Society spent more than Rs 12 lakh during the year 2014-15 in awarding scholarships to students and in extending relief to the worst flood affected areas of the state.