HBS: Biplab Sarma Committee Recommendations Not Applicable in Barak; Silchar Railway Station Name Change Proposed, Not After Bhasha Shaheed

Following a meeting with representatives of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Wednesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma initiated the process for implementing 52 recommendations from the “Justice Biplab Sarma Committee” concerning Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, as announced by the state government earlier this month. This decision comes over four years after the Centre-appointed high-level committee submitted its report in February 2020. However, the recommendations of the committee won’t be applicable in Barak Valley said the Chief Minister.

In Assam, as per Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, the definition of ‘Assamese’ excludes the Barak Valley. Consequently, the recommendations made by the Biplab Kumar Sharma Committee concerning rights related to language, land, and culture based on the 1951 cut-off year will not be implemented in the Barak Valley.

In essence, the Barak region has been excluded from all the recommendations that the state government can implement based on the committee’s report. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has explicitly stated that there is no scope for implementing the Sharma Committee’s recommendations in the Barak Valley.

On the other hand, for the Sixth Schedule areas, the implementation of these recommendations depends on their approval. If the authorities of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, and BTAD agree, then the Sharma Committee’s report will be implemented in these areas, otherwise not. On Wednesday, at Dispur’s Lok Seva Bhawan, the discussion was centred around the implementation of the Sharma Committee’s recommendations.

What is the Assam Accord? For those unaware, the end of the six-year-long agitation in Assam against the entry of Bangladeshi migrants into the state resulted in the signing of the historic “Assam Accord” between the Rajiv Gandhi-led Union government and the leadership of the Assam Movement, primarily the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which was signed in 1985. During this period of six long years of the historic movement as reported 855(later on 860 as submitted by AASU) people “sacrificed their lives” in the hope of an “Infiltration Free Assam” in the 1979-1985 Assam agitation, says the Assam Government websites.

What is Clause 6? Clause 6 of the accord has always remained in the headlines over the decades. It says, “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”

What was the Nellie massacre? This is one of the darkest chapters of the Assam Movement. The Nellie massacre took place in central Assam during six hours on the morning of 18 February 1983. The massacre claimed the lives of 1,600–2,000 people from 14 villages—Alisingha, Khulapathar, Basundhari, Bugduba Beel, Bugduba Habi, Borjola, Butuni, Dongabori, Indurmari, Mati Parbat, Muladhari, Mati Parbat no. 8, Silbheta, Borburi and Nellie—of Nagaon district.

What is the Biplab Sarma Committee? In July 2019, the Union Home Ministry constituted a 14-member committee chaired by retired Assam High Court Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma, and comprising judges, retired bureaucrats, writers, AASU leaders and journalists, to suggest ways to implement the clause. Among the key questions before the committee was a definition of “the Assamese people” eligible for the “safeguards” under Clause 6.

The committee finalised its report in February 2020. But instead of it being received by the Union Home Ministry, which had constituted the committee, the report was received by then Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of the BJP. In August 2020, four committee members released the confidential report in the public domain.

Last evening the report was made public on the website of the Implementation of Assam Accord. Even though the 35 suggestions and 32 additional suggestions won’t be implemented in Barak Valley, let’s take a look at what the report says specific to Barak.

“TABLE-1: Suggestions for recognition, protection, preservation, and conservation” with a total of 35 points, starts with recommendations on changing the names of a few places of importance in Silchar. Here is the chronological order:

1. Silchar Railway Station to be renamed after the Last Cachari King “Raja Govinda Chandra”

2. Women’s College, Silchar to be renamed as Cachari Queen “Rani Induprabha Women’s College”

3. Silchar Medical College and Silchar Airport renamed after Late Sri Moinul Hoque Choudhury, Ex Minister, Government of India

4. Silchar Civil Hospital to be renamed after Late Sri Phesai Mia Laskar

5. Assam Manipuri Kala Academy, Silchar be established as State Marupuri Cultural Institute

6. …

7. A Manipuri Museum to be established in Cachar district

8. Sadar Ghat Bridge in Cachar district to be renamed as “Jananeta Hijam Irabot Singh Bridge”

Table 2: Additional Suggestions for protection, preservation, promotion and conservation (total 32 points)

1…

2. Awapali Kamranga under Udharbond constituency should be preserved and promoted.

3. Narabill (actual name Nayabel) Dhutpatil in Borkhola constituency be made an ecological park in the name of Nara Singha Maharaj

4. Preservation of historical monuments like Khaspur Rajbari, Sonal Sibtilla, and Harinkar, among others is required

5. …

6. Proper protection is required for Capital Complex of Dimasa kingdom in Khaspur, Siva temple of Sonai.

7. Modern preservation is required for manuscripts in the archives of Silchar Normal School.
[End of Suggestions]

What would be the impact if these recommendations were implemented in Barak Valley?