Amidst 'Unishey May' celebrations, story of a daughter who is often asked to prove her father's martyrdom

The Assam Government not only provides financial assistance to the families of the martyrs of the Assam movement, but everyone in the society looks up to them with the utmost respect as well. Every individual in the Assamese society is aware of their security and prosperity.

However, in the city of Silchar, the daughter of a martyr who had given up his life for his mother tongue in Barak Valley is still questioned by some people. What evidence does she have to prove that she is the daughter of a martyr? Just like many Indian Bengalis are asked before being taken into detention camps, “Where is the proof of your Indianness?”

On April 6, Dhankumari Sutradhar, the wife of language martyr Birendra Sutradhar, passed away at the age of 85. She is survived by her daughter and other family members. Although every year there’s an enthusiasm seen regarding May 19 in Barak Valley, on that day, during the funeral procession of Dhankumari Sutradhar, that enthusiasm was absent. Except for a few individuals from the cultural field of Silchar and a few political leaders, no one else took part in her last journey. However, Dhankumari Sutradhar had spent her entire life in this way.

The day Birendra Sutradhar was martyred, he had been married for only two years then and had a six-month-old daughter as well. His wife Dhankumari Sutradhar had spent her entire life in financial difficulties, working in factories. Even when ill, she never wanted to go to the Silchar Medical College & Hospital, as that would dig up old memories from there. Her daughter Madhumita Sutradhar said that her mother had very difficult days raising her after her father’s demise. There was a time when many people used to extend a helping hand, but even then their financial difficulties never seemed to end. She has spent the last 20 years of her life living in a house made of tin and bamboo on the land provided by the Silchar Municipality in the area adjacent to the Radhamadhab Road. There have been various obstacles over the years and many influential people too have tried to grab their land. When she was alive, many even publicly threatened that after her death, her family members would not be able to live on the land provided by the municipality. Now after her demise, the family members are terrified. And this year, they have spent the occasion of May 19 in an air of panic.

On the evening of May 19, Madhumita Sutradhar, the daughter of the language martyr, told the story of her and her family’s terror while sitting at her residence. She said, “About two decades ago, a piece of land was given by the Municipality of Silchar to the wife and children of language martyr Birendra Sutradhar in this city of Silchar. However, many have even threatened to oust us from here. One day, a certain cultural activist secretly tried to coerce my mother into signing a paper. If somehow that had happened successfully, then my mother would’ve become homeless. My mother has visited many people’s homes and requested that her children must not be ousted from this place after her death. Even on several occasions, during the middle of the night, our house was subjected to constant stoning, derogatory abuse and legal threats. The purpose is the same so that we can run away in fear and leave this land. My mother was a very hard-hearted person, we did not give up because of her courage. But this time there is a fear, it seems that one day the families of the language martyrs might have to flee from the land of Silchar in fear.

She has provided a lot of information on who and why she gets intimidated. But when it comes to the media, those influential people from cultural background could harm the family of the poor martyr’s daughter, so we are not revealing the name. However, the daughter of the martyr said that the land given to them by the municipality is only two kathas in the area. Right behind it is the land of an influential person in the area. The influential family wants to use a part of their land of the martyr’s daughter to construct the road to their land. At one point they were threatened cold-heartedly, “You can’t stay here anyway, because we have the wealth, the people of the area and the law on our side. It won’t take long to oust you.”

On the day of May 19, various exhibitions were held on the occasion of Bhasha Shahid Divas, and this time too the social media is full of such posts. From political leaders to several self-proclaimed cultural activists and ordinary people, everyone is celebrating the day to the best of their ability. But there is always darkness under the lamp. When well-known cultural activists question the daughter of a language martyr standing in the city of Bhasha Shahid by asking, “Where is the proof that you are your father’s daughter?” Then of course the language martyrs are not at all respected.

When Dhankumari Sutradhar was alive and well, she used to visit the Silchar crematorium, Silchar Railway station and the Gandhibag Park on May 19 every year to pay her respects. She even used to take every member of her family with her. This year, there is a lockdown imposed and Dhankumari Sutradhar has already passed away earlier this year. Nevertheless, the family members went to the Silchar crematorium in the morning and lit lamps to pay homage to the 11 language martyrs.

After the demise of Dhankumari Sutradhar, her grandson did not eat anything for a long time. He did not talk to anyone and became almost like a recluse.

Reporting Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha, English copy written by Saurab Das