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FIR on Bhupenda�s Bharat Ratna

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 16 - An FIR was lodged with the Dispur police alleging that the whereabouts of the certificate and the medallion awarded posthumously to Dr Bhupen Hazarika as part of Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country, were not known.

The FIR was lodged by TV journalist Lenin Saurav Saikia after unconfirmed reports suggested that Dr Hazarika�s son Tej Hazarika, who had received the Bharat Ratna award on behalf of his father, had reportedly gone back to Canada carrying the certificate and the medallion along with him.

This drew sharp reactions from various quarters, for, Dr Hazarika had himself expressed that all his awards and intellectual properties be kept in the museum named after him at the Sankardev Kalakshetra.

�People of Assam had been demanding Bharat Ratna for the maestro for years until the government decided to confer it on him earlier this year. Dr Hazarika himself wanted his awards and intellectual properties to be kept in the museum in the Kalakshetra. As an Assamese, we all have the right to know where actually the award is. Till today, we have not had the glimpse of the award. It is very unfortunate for the people of Assam,� said Lenin Saurav Borah while talking to this newspaper.

The Bharat Ratna was received by Tej Hazarika on August 8 after which he came to Guwahati.

However, Tej Hazarika�s version on the entire turn of events could not be gathered.

Manisha Hazarika, sister-in-law of Dr Hazarika, when contacted said, �People, especially the fans and admirers of Dr Hazarika, are asking us as to when they would be able to have a glimpse of the award. We, the family members, have no clue. The Bharat Ratna is a reflection of people�s love for Dr Hazarika and they have the right to know about it.�

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