Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: With his thought-provoking ideas Himanta Biswa Sarma’s book Bhinna Samay Abhinna Mat was released at PWD Convention and Training Centre here at Dispur on Sunday.
Former president of Axam Xahitya Xabha Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bora, noted writer Anuradha Sharma Pujari, Educationist Dr. Amarjyoti Choudhury and Vice Chancellor of Assam Women’s University Dr. Malini Goswami graced the occasion as guests and inaugurators of the book.
Sharing his urge to write books, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "'Samagata Samay' was my first book. At that time thought of publishing my thoughts as a book was never in my mind. Despite being in political field, I was away from politics at that time. So, it could provide me the time to translate my thoughts into words and publishing it as a book. To my astonishment I received immense support and positive response from the readers. With Bhinna Samay Abhinna Mat I have put an effort to present my viewpoint as to what should be the way to safeguard what we call as Assamese identity.”
Sarma added, “How far the language-based extreme nationalism can lead us if we keep on calling the Karbis, the Bodos, the Misings amd others are not Assamese; the Bengali-spoken people are not Assamese, and if we regard people as non-Assamese just because they write Jain and Agarwal as their surnames even after living in Assam for years. The Assamese language is only a part of our greater culture. Language-based extreme nationalism will lead us nowhere. It will only tear our society apart.”
Sarma further claimed “35% of the people of our society want fight amongst the rest 65% regarding language and sometimes regarding their past identity. We don’t necessarily need to surrender in front of others for the sake of safeguarding our Assamese language. The only thing that we must do is that we should learn to be liberal towards our tribal society and for those who migrated to this part of this country at different phases of time. When we’ll be liberal towards then we’ll witness that everyone will call Assamese as their language in census, that too with respect. Thus a time will come that everyone will call Assamese as their own language, when they’ll see that there are majority of Assamese speaking people. I’m trying to put such a few thought of mine through some articles in this book.” Present on the occasion Vice Chancellor of Assam Women’s University Dr. Malini Goswami mentioned the book to be a historical document of Assam.