Assam CM defends Karimganj renaming, slams Congress for criticising Tagore’s historical reference
On Tuesday, the state cabinet approved the renaming of Karimganj to Sribhumi, aligning with Tagore's reference to the district over a century ago.
Guwahati, Nov. 20: A day after announcing that Karimganj district will be renamed Sribhumi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, defended the decision, taking a jibe at the Congress party for its alleged criticism of the move.
Speaking to the press, Sarma expressed his dismay at Congress for allegedly criticising Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who had referred to the district as "Sribhumi" nearly 100 years ago.
“I don’t understand why the Congress is criticising Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore for this. I have no problem if they criticise me, but why should Assam retain a district name based on an unknown individual? We don’t know that history,” he said, during a review visit to the Swahid Smarak Garden works in Paschim Boragaon.
On Tuesday, the state cabinet approved the renaming of Karimganj to Sribhumi, aligning with Tagore's reference to the district over a century ago.
"Over a hundred years ago, Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore referred to what is now Karimganj District as 'Sribhumi'—the land of Maa Lakshmi," the Chief Minister had shared on social media, highlighting the historical significance of the new name.
Interestingly, in 2019, BJP MP Radheshyam Biswas had proposed the same during a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event in Karimganj, which had faced strong criticism from various quarters at the time with the Congress calling it a “vote-bank politics”.
Chief Minister Sarma further stated that the state government would continue renaming places that reflect the state's history, culture, and significance.
"Names that don't represent history or aren't part of any dictionary will be replaced. For example, 'Karimganj' isn’t found in Assamese or Bengali dictionaries, while 'Sribhumi' has both historical and linguistic meaning," he explained.
In addition to the renaming decision, the state Cabinet approved several other key initiatives, including the publication of the voters' list for the upcoming Panchayat elections, which will be released before December 30. The elections will be held before February 10.
The Cabinet also approved the organisation of the second Assam Investment and Infrastructure Summit, scheduled for February 24, furthering the state’s commitment to attracting investments and boosting infrastructure development.
