Jerenga Pathar (Sivasagar), Feb. 11: The open session of Asam Sahitya Sabha's centenary celebrations was today dominated by political leaders and administrators instead of litterateurs.
Those who attended the session included Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, cabinet ministers Keshab Mahanta and Atul Bora, BJP legislators Kushal Deori, Tapan Gogoi, Rituparna Baruah, Jogen Mohan, MPs Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Naba Sarania, Sivasagar and Charaideo deputy commissioners Narayan Konwar and Bibekananda Phukan.
The literary world was represented by Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi from Arunachal Pradesh, Sabha vice-president Prahlad Chandra Tasa and former general secretary Nahendra Padun.
One thing was apparent today that the controversies in the past few months had taken a toll. Writer and former Sabha president Lakhinandan Bora, who was supposed to preside over the session, skipped it. Sabha members requested Prahlad Tasa to preside over the session.
Welcoming the president of the open session to the stage with a cultural procession had been a major attraction of every Sabha session. But today the procession was taken out with the Sabha symbol.
Inaugurating the session, Thongchi said: "Asam Sahitya Sabha will remain as long as sun and moon will remain in the universe."
He said the Sabha is revered not only in Assam but also in Arunachal Pradesh. "When someone introduces me as a Sahitya Akademi awardee, people in my state do not respond much. But when I am introduced as a member of the Sabha, they show a lot of respect," he said.
Sonowal said his government, which is committed to preserving historical monuments, would do everything to preserve Jerenga Pathar. The state government has already donated 50 bighas to the Sabha here to metamorphose into a venue that will reflect historical elements of the state. Sonowal said he would discuss with various organisations ways to preserve Jerenga Pathar.
He reiterated that the Sabha should go ahead taking in confidence all communities. His call came on a day eight prominent literary bodies boycotted the celebrations.
Agriculture minister Atul Bora said the people of Assam want the Sabha to be above controversy.
"I hope the Sabha will be able to remove all apprehensions of the people," he said.
Hitesh Deka, vice-chancellor of Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University, said though the people consider the Sabha the guardian of Assamese language and literature, most members and leaders of the literary body do not send their children to Assamese medium schools.
"I am hugely frustrated. I came here to listen to speeches of prominent writers. But there is practically none," said Prabin Saikia, a visitor.
Leaders of indigenous communities and their literary bodies today appealed to the Sabha to take initiatives to make Assamese the link language in the northeastern states.
"I feel that Assamese should be the connecting language in all northeastern states. You may identify yourselves as Mising, Bodo or Tai. But when you interact, you use Assamese. Assamese is not only the language spoken by the most people in the Northeast but it also has a emotional connect," said Baten Pertin, general secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society.
On the other hand, the Sabha's former general secretary Paramananda Rajbongshi's allegation that a few journalists and an organisation were behind the alleged attack on him on Wednesday has elicited strong reactions.
Electronic media journalist Ananta Smith said that Rajbongshi would not have been able to leave the place unless some journalists helped him.
Vice-president of Sibsagar Press Club, Monirul Islam Bora, said two journalists were hurt while trying to save Rajbongshi from the mob.
"We are mulling a defamation suit against him if he fails to give a clear explanation," he said.
Additional reporting by Kongkon K. Bora
