Guwahati, Feb. 8: A revered 100-year-old organisation that had been entrusted with holding aloft the banner of Assamese language and literature but found itself stuck in a quagmire of internal politics in recent times, saw its standards fall even further this evening, with a crowd heckling and abusing a former general secretary away from the gates of its centenary celebrations.
Paramananda Rajbongshi, former general secretary and vice-president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, today found himself confronted by a close to violent crowd numbering a few hundred, and had to leave in a hurry from the main gate of the celebrations at Jerenga Pothar around 8.30pm. "Things will only get worse if he returns," the hecklers proudly told waiting mediapersons after Rajbongshi's departure.
Rajbongshi, who was accompanied by Dhruba Jyoti Borah, former president of the Sabha, was initially welcomed by the reception committee of the five-day centenary celebrations and several other organisations with a procession at Bhodiya Paar, about 2km from the venue. The situation got out of hand as organisations protesting his arrival went on the rampage when the two arrived at gates of Jerenga Pathar about half an hour later. The duo left within minutes for Sivasagar town, about 4km from here, to stay the night in a hotel. Television channels went on to report that Rajbongshi and Bora had crossed the Jhanji river en route to Jorhat about 25km away towards lower Assam.
Rajbongshi's dramatic entry into the venue was not expected considering the weeks-long controversy surrounding him. He had been the topic of discussion throughout the day as people wondered whether he would come and what would happen if he did.
Sources said seven former vice-presidents of the Sabha have decided to give the centenary celebrations a miss following this evening's developments.
Kulo Gogoi, a resident of the district, said, "He should not have come here in the time of controversies. If Rajbongshi loved the Sabha, he should have let the session happen peacefully. He has polluted the venue of Asam Sahitya Sabha. We had warned him not to come here. But he took it up as a challenge and came," a protester told reporters.
Writer Lakhinandan Bora announced yesterday that he would not preside over Saturday's open session if Rajbongshi attended the celebrations, sparking confusion over who would do so.
Rajbongshi has been in the eye of a controversy for months, with fellow members accusing him of being autocratic in his ways. Senior members of the Sabha have been sharply divided over Rajbongshi being an official of the Sabha, with former presidents of the Sabha writing an open letter voicing their displeasure at Rajbongshi continuing in his post as general secretary. The situation had calmed a little in early January when Rajbongshi resigned from the Sabha but grew worse in the run-up to the centenary celebrations as various sections refused to let him be a part of the celebrations.
Today was the first day of the celebrations of the Sabha. "We chose Jerenga Pathar as it is the most ideal place to represent the history of the state as well as the 100-year journey of Asam Sahitya Sabha. The Sabha's first session was held at Sivasagar Government Higher Secondary and Multi-Purpose School in 1917," said Saumarjyoti Mahanta, president of a sub-committee of the reception committee formed to organise the event.
Jerenga Pathar was a part of Rongpur, the Ahom kingdom's second capital which remained its epicentre for more than 300 years. The first capital of the Ahom kings, Charaideo, is about 30km from here. Besides, people believe this is the place where Ahom princess Joymoti was tortured to death by royal guards trying to extract the whereabouts of her husband, Godadhar, in a bitter struggle for the throne.
A replica of Rang Ghar, the royal sports pavilion of the Ahom kings which represents the variegated cultural and historical elements of the state, greeted the thousands of visitors who took part in the celebrations today. On the left are clay sculptures of Joymoti and Padmanath Gohain Barua, the first president of the Sabha. On the right is a portrait of Sukapha, the founder of Ahom dynasty. Statues of singer Bhupen Hazarika, writers Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Padmanath Gohain Barua, cultural icon Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Hemchandra Barua compiler of Hemkosh, often considered the most authoritative Assamese dictionary, also grace the venue.
Today's programme were mostly confined to inauguration of stages, camps, exhibitions and a book fair. The day began with inauguration of the main venue, which was named after writer Padmanath Gohain Barua by Jorhat MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa. In his speech, Tasa appealed to all to make the session successful and relegate controversies which have plagued the Sabha to the past.
Controversies apart, the organisers have arranged for 700 cooks and a dining hall to seat 3,500 so that no one goes hungry. Student organisations such as the All Assam Students' Union and the All Tai Ahom Students' Union have deployed their volunteers to assist people.
Altogether 76 publication groups, including two from Calcutta, are participating in the book fair.
Thowra BJP legislator Kushal Dowari was seen supervising the preparations through the day today. The BJP has set up a cell to assist people. The party booth at the venue is decorated with pictures of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others. Jerenga Pathar falls under Sivasagar Assembly constituency which is represented by Congress veteran Pranab Gogoi. Thowra is Sivasagar's adjacent constituency.
