Members of Agniputra at the demonstration on Tuesday. Picture by UB Photos

Aug. 14: Jana gana mana adhinayaka jaya he... is something that invariably fills every Indian’s heart with pride and joy. While the song celebrates the spirit of freedom and mentions the different states that comprise the Indian sub-continent, the names of northeastern states are yet to find a place in the national anthem despite it being an integral part of the country for ages now.

While the entire country is getting ready to celebrate its hard-earned freedom on the eve of Independence Day today, about 30-40 youths staged a demonstration at Dighalipukhuri, demanding that the Centre should take measures to incorporate the names of the eight northeastern states in the national anthem and give the respect due to these states. The strike was organised by Agniputra, a city-based youths’ organisation from 10am to 3pm today.

The national anthem was composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and first sung on December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. It was adopted as the national anthem on January 24, 1950, by the Constituent Assembly responsible for drafting the Constitution.

“The northeastern region has always been an important part of the Indian sub-continent and will continue to do so. All Indians have been singing the national anthem since 1911, but even after so many years the Northeast is yet to be incorporated in it. Over the years, many people have highlighted this without any tangible result. Today, through this demonstration, we have taken our first step towards demanding that the Centre include the names of the northeastern states in the song. If the names of all these states cannot be incorporated, then at least the word ‘Uttarpurbanchal’ should find a place in it,” said Agniputra president Pradip Kalita.

According to the organisation, this would ensure that the indigenous people hailing from the Northeast be recognised and respected by people from other states. Over the years there have been various instances where several individuals hailing from the region have been subjected to repeated humiliations and physical assault in other states on the basis of their racial features, food habits and lifestyle.

“We will feel proud if our region finds a place in the national anthem. This will make others respect the people from our region. In fact, we will be staging a similar demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to bring the issue into the Centre’s notice. The spirit of unity is still present among the northeastern states and we should all join hands to have this demand met,” said Anupam Goswami, a member of Agniputra.

“We will also conduct a rally in the city to garner support on this issue and submit a memorandum to the chief minister through the deputy commissioner of Kamrup (metropolitan) district,” said Kalita.