Books on Assam Agitation flew off the shelves at Northeast Book Fair

HISTORY BECKONS

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The 21st edition of the northeast Book Fair has witnessed a new trend among youths and students as many of them have been purchasing books on the historic Assam Agitation.

While the All Assam Publishers and Book Sellers Association — the organizer of the book fair — has attributed the growing regional sentiments to this new trend, many youths say that they have become inquisitive to know and understand the historic agitation after the wide publicity and debates on the NRC update, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and Clause 6 on mainstream and social media.

Several copies have been sold of Monoj Kumar Nath’s Axom Andolan — Patabhumi, Etihax, Bortoman, Manash Kumar Mahanta’s Oitahaxik Axom Andolan: Juie Pora Xatta Basar, Jitumoni Bora’s Bikul and Mrinal Talukdar’s ‘Post-Colonial Assam (1947-2019)’. Another book titled ‘Assam: The Accord, The Discord’ by Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty is among the best-selling books on Assam Agitation.

“In the last two years, the people of the State are raising the issues of NRC update the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill almost every day. So, we thought of printing books relating to the prevailing sentiments as it would be conducive from the business point of view. Our effort has yielded positive results,” a leading publisher said.

According to other publishers, books on the Assam Agitation have been sold high due to the growing political awareness.

“The youths might have heard and seen a lot about the ongoing discussions and debates on the Assam Agitation, Assam Accord and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. They are also inquisitive about 1971 — the cut-off date for NRC update in Assam — and 1951, on the basis of which NRC is proposed to be prepared in other States,” a book seller said.

Siddhartha Sarma, a student of Cotton University who purchased Axom Andolan — Patabhumi, Etihax, Bortoman and Oitahaxik Axom Andolan: Juie Pora Xatta Basar, said “I will never understand the socio-political life of Assam unless I study the background, causes and results of the Assam Agitation. Every young Assamese must read these books.”

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