Guwahati, India

It was a regular Independence Day function at Guwahati Press Club on 15 August 2015, where city-based media persons and many patriotic citizens from different walks of life joined in, making their point loud and clear that they would always defy the separatist militants’ diktat for boycotting this auspicious day.

The 69th I-Day celebration participants also echoed their commitment for the cause, where senior journalist Rupam Barua hoisted the national flag in the morning. An active journalist, Barua also addressed the gathering highlighting the contribution of millions of known and unknown freedom fighters and martyrs for making India a sovereign nation.

“The significance of both I-Day and Republic Day lies in gratefully recollecting the martyrs’ supreme sacrifices,” said Barua adding that now-a-days many organizations and individuals prefer not to observe the important days and avoid saluting the Tri-colour citing various grievances, which is ‘unfortunate and disgusting’.

“We should (must) pay our tributes to the martyrs unconditionally. Nobody should drag in unnecessary issues while celebrating the I-Day and R-Day. Otherwise we will be known as ungrateful citizens only,” pointed out Barua, who is president of Journalists’ Forum Assam.

Following the flag hoisting program, the participants took to rallying on the streets. Many children also participated in the programme waving national flags and chanting patriotic songs and slogans. The participants including journalists Ranen Kumar Goswami, Mukul Kalita, DN Sing, Raman Bora, Pramod Kalita, Bijay Shankar Bora, Bikas Singh, Pranabjit Doloi, Utpal Das, Nripen Rajbongshi, Iliyas Hussain, Mamata Mishra, Akhyamala Bora and civil society representatives like Jagadindra Raychoudhury, Uttam Barthakur, Kishor Giri, Kailash Sarma, Purabi Barua, Rubi Barthakur, Md Farid, Pradip Thakuria, Shankar Das, Mrinal Ali Hazarika, Sanjib Puri, Ranjib Sarma etc who have all taken a principled stand against the separatist agenda of the armed militant outfits.

It may be mentioned that the United Liberation Front of Asom
(Independent) with National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) and few others called for boycotting I- Day functions and imposed a general shutdown in northeast India. However, it had little impact this time as the people in large number joined in the I-Day functions organized by both the government agencies and the communities. Even the local media in Assam avoided the news of militants’ boycott calls prior to the national festival.

On the other hand, the recent signing of an agreement with the NSCN (IM) by the Union government raised the expectation for peace in the region. It is presumed that the initiative would help bringing all the militant outfits like ULFA (I), NSCN (Khaplang), NDFB (S), Kamatapur Liberation Organization with Manipur based armed outfits to the negotiation table for a permanent solution to this burning problem.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi unfurled the Tri-colour on the occasion of I-Day at the official venue for celebrations in Khanapara locality and remembered ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi with all martyrs for their supreme sacrifices to free India from the foreign rule.

In his long address, Gogoi welcomed the peace initiatives in Nagaland and the recent signing of the framework agreement between the Union government and the leaders of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issak-Muiva faction). Gogoi however reiterated his demand for making the text of the agreement public. Welcoming the patriotic crowd in the function, the chief minister also announced the creation of five new districts in Assam increasing its tally up to 32. He expressed hope that new districts namely Biswanath (carved out of Sonitpur district), Charaideo (out of Sivsagar), Hojai (out of Nagaon), South Salmara-Mankachar (out of Dhuburi) and West Karbi Anglong (out of Karbi Anglong) would help bringing the administration more close to the people.

The virtual capital of northeast India witnessed many more venues for celebration of I-Day this year. While Fr Sebastian Mathew hoisted the National flag at Don Bosco School Guwahati, senior bureaucrat MGVK Bhanu unfurled the Tri-colour at Royal Global School. Gowalpara Sainik School’s passed-out students organised a blood donation camp with support from Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati.

The Bodoland territorial council chief Hagrama Mohilary hoisted the National flag at Kokrajhar, where as Dima Hasao autonomous council chief Debojeet Thaosen unfurled the Tricolour at Haflong. Similarly the State minister Kharsing Engti attended the I-Day function at Karbi Anglong autonomous council headquarter Diphu to join in the chorus of I-Day celebrations across Assam.

For a change, Guwahati based television media persons under the banner of Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) participated in a friendly football match against the officials of District Transport Office (Kamrup-M) on the occasion of I-Day. Played at Nehru Stadium, the match ended with two goals (scored by Simanta Neog and Kanai Mahanta) in favour of the DTO eleven, which was led by Khirod Das. The EMFA team captain Peter Alex was adjudged as the best player of the match and he was awarded by Kamrup DTO Gautam Das. Well-known football coach Hem Das conducted the game, where the city-based Dispur Hospitals extended emergency medical supports to the players.