Mita Nath
(mitanathbora7@gmail.com)
Over the more visible last year and in the few years before that, I see a different man in our Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a man more than a CM and more than just a political leader. It is very important to understand that a leader may come and go but the personality he displays, as he is under the watchful eyes 24x7 of the citizens, the role he plays not only as a public figure but also as an individual human can either be positively impactful or disastrous. Leaders are role models, whom citizens emulate, knowingly or unknowingly. So a leader is not just living for self but lays the path for times ahead. The path, good or bad, is what shall shape the society and generations to follow in future.
What I, fortunately, foresee in CM Sarma is him turning into a social religious leader, positively influencing his followers, in particular, and citizens in general, through his projection and promotion of traditions as he fulfils his political duty. We rarely had courageous leaders in the recent past who were politically strong, bold and assertive, while being equally humane, empathetic and kind. CM Sarma as the political leader while shouldering his duties as a state head is also ensuring Indianness, true to his roots, a promoter of tradition and culture, and a practising religious and spiritual individual. He is setting a new trend of political-social-religious leadership that is exactly in sync with our ancient historical rulers.
BJP has as one of its inherent ideologies, the principle of social integration, cultural nationalism and universal humanism, and through it the admiration and pride of being Indian and following Indian values. This shapes every BJP member, bringing behavioural change in how political leaders shape themselves and impact the lives of people they touch every day. CM Sarma, as a BJP political leader, has got into the natural flow, imbibing all these principles to their truest form, being proud of who he is and the land he belongs to.
On May 10, 2021, adorning a full traditional Assamese attire, Assam silk dhoti, kurta and a challenge chador, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath as Chief Minister, becoming the first-ever political leader of the state at his official swearing-in ceremony, reading out the oath, in Indian wear, unlike any of his predecessors, who preferred to wear western suits or Indo western mix attire while taking an oath to work for Assam, the state, its community, protect its traditions, culture and customs.
We hear every day, in almost all intellectual meets and events, by important people of our society how we should retain our indigenousness, revive our heritage, our handloom, our silk, but how many of the bigwigs practise what they preach, how many do it themselves. A leader leads by example, not by words. Did CM Sarma set an example there? Yes, he did. Very recently, on the sidelines of an important ministry meet CM Sarma took out time to meet a nonagenarian woman, Binu Goswami, who travelled for 60 km from Dergaon to seek an audience with him to apprise him of a job-related issue of her son. CM Sarma assured her of all support from the government in the resolution of the problem. This humane side of his was immediately captured and sent a positive message to all across of how a leader should be available to resolve grievances of the common man, of the needy always.
Sometime back, on hearing traffic snarls during his travel on the National Highway 37 near Gumothagaon, CM Sarma got down to check what went wrong and why there was a traffic jam. On getting to know that vehicles of common citizens were made to wait to let the CM convoy pass, he reprimanded the act saying whether a 'raja-maharaja was passing' and ordered not to continue such activities in future. He was aware that commuters travelling for work and important reasons feel harassed by these protocol practices as it delays their commitment to their work. CM Sarma showed his concern and this signalled the importance of respecting the time of the common man as equal to that of a CM.
On another occasion in June 2021, a month after being CM, in Abhayakhuti village of the Kokrajhar district, the bodies of two minor girls, both sisters were found hanging from a tree in a mysterious condition. CM Sarma immediately went to meet the bereaved family members and stood by them in their time of distress. The family was undergoing more grief than usual, not only having to deal with the loss of their beloved family members but also meeting the requirement of police formalities, answering innumerable questions, the doubts and accusations, and the gossip of society people visiting the family. This pains and throws a family in more distress than normal; and a CM being right there amongst them eases a lot of these problems.
These thoughtful empathetic acts of concern are a few examples of the new image of a state CM.
We also see him respecting his religion, visiting almost all namghars, temples and religious sites of the state and even outside the Northeast. We often see him performing his religious duties, in the worship of our God/Goddess, praying, as he is seen, for the wellbeing of all citizens of the state and the country.
On the auspicious month of Bhado, CM Sarma visited the historic Athkhelia Namghar in Golaghat district and met the devotees there appreciating their efforts in spiritual awakening, taking forward the teachings of Srimanata Sankardeva and announced Rs 5 crore for the development of the namghar.
On Bihu, he showcased the traditional practice of inviting husori performances by young girls of Dhol Bai Dhulia at his residence. These are customary practices still found in villages where husori performers visit every household, almost invisible in cities today. On Durga Puja, during his visit to Barak Valley, he offered his prayers to Devi Durga for the well-being and prosperity of the people of the state and visited the Kanchakanti Devi Mandir at Udharbond and several puja pandals, the Shyamananda Bhoiravbari Durga Puja, Panchanan Shivbari Sarbajanin Durga Puja, Durga Puja at Ramkrishna Mission Sevashram, Bajrangpur Tea Estate Puja, All Medical Sales People Durga Puja etc.
On Hanuman Jayanti this year, CM Sarma was seen paying obeisance to Bhagwan Hanuman. He offered prayers at Hanuman Temple in Ulubari, Guwahati to bless us with strength, determination, courage and commitment which are the epitome of Hanuman Ji.
This embracement of spiritualism and public display of a socio-religious personality are qualities that shall not just remain as one-time memory, but will play a transformative role; role in encouraging, silently reviving the practice and preservation of our traditional culture, our values that will help retain our civilization. Such values were so lost in the pursuit of modernization through blindly aping the west in everything at the cost of sacrificing our ancient spiritual divine ideals. Today, youngsters are getting to know and respect their traditions, their culture and religion as they see their leaders doing the same, they are proud to wear their traditional attire, throng temples and religious places while adapting to modern technology for necessary lifestyle changes.
When a leader is shown following spiritual duties, is seen as compassionate, showering respect on all strata of people. It makes himself/herself assessable. It has a joyous social connection with the common man, and concerns for the poorest of the poor, Its ripple effects have an unimaginable multiplier, benefiting millions. Similarly, if a leader is shown partying in 5-7 star posh hotels, boozing, or vacationing, it no doubt sends a warm signal to the elites, but unfortunately alienates the poor citizens, who may look with awe at such leaders but fail to connect or consider them as own, as they are fearful to approach such leaders to address their grievances. This is the culture India had seen for the past 70+ years, where the simple innocent and poor common man were considered lowly class, looked down upon as subjects to be taken care of but not considered as equals.
The story, however, is different now, where all Indians have found their common connection that brings all together, and treats all equal, irrespective of social class, community, region, language or state. That common connection that has produced a feeling of sameness is the spiritual-religious root that weaves us all as 'ONE' and this shall define India of the future; all made possible due to the thoughtfulness of our current leaders.