GUWAHATI, Jan 22 � Tributes were paid to the hallowed memory of Tarun Ram Phukan on the occasion of the 139th birthday of the great patriot and freedom fighter of the country.
The function held at the Deshabhakta Tarun Ram Phukan under the presidentship of Dhiren Baruah, Chairman of GMDA and public activist began with the placing of floral wreaths on his statue by senior journalist DN Chakravartty.
Paying tributes to the Deshabhakta, Chakravartty described him as one of the finest orators, an accomplished parliamentarian, a successful lawyer, and overall a great human being.
Chakravartty said that had Phukan been systematic and a little more astute, he would have been in the front rank of national leaders along with Motilal Nehru and Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das. He suggested that Assam Assembly should honour him by introducing a special award to be given to the best legislator to be selected from among the Assembly members during one term of five years.
Kailash Sarma, secretary of Deshabhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Udyan Committee, welcomed the guests and explained the purpose of the function.
Baruah, in his speech, described the sacrifices made and sufferings undergone by the Deshabhaka during the initial years of the freedom struggle. He also mentioned the role played by the Deshabhakta in holding the Congress session at Pandu in 1926 which resulted in his financial insolvency.
The organizers raised fund to extend financial help to one child and a teenage girl who had become disabled due to disease and accident. Chakravartty handed over cheques of Rs 10,000 each to the parents of Anjali Deka of Kharghuli, master Baishya of Sualkuchi.
Several persons from the audience offered financial assistance to the parents of both the children.
