NEW DELHI, Sept 14 � Observing that participation of Assam in India�s freedom struggle was at par with any other part of the country, Union Minister for DoNER and Mines Bijoy Krishna Handique has advocated proper study of the history spanning the period between Yandaboo Treaty and the First War of Independence in the region.
Delivering the keynote address on �History as a window � Understanding the North East�, at a seminar organised by Centre for North East Studies at Jamia Milia Islamia University here today, Handique urged the academic fraternity to refocus their work towards highlighting the contributions of different leaders from the north-eastern region in India�s freedom struggle.
�The contributions of Kushal Konwar are missing from the history of India, where the struggle of 1857 has got a prominent place, he said, citing an instance.
Many eminent persons from the State joined hands with the leaders of the Indian National Congress and participated in important movements that were carried on from time to time. Many young men and women had fallen victims to the bullets of the police and the army. Similarly, many leaders contributed to the freedom movement of the country from other parts of the NER, he added.
Handique opined that history in itself cannot be wrong, but historians can be. �So, it is necessary to incorporate the unpublished events in the pages of history with proper focus and research,� he suggested.
Handique urged historians to focus on the role of great freedom fighters of the region and their contributions. He mentioned that the period between the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo and the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, has not been adequately documented.
He stressed that Kushal Konwar, Gomadhar Konwar, Piyali Phukan, Gopinath Bardoloi, Moniram Dewan, Bir Tikendrajit Singh and Mohammad Tayebullah, among others, must be known in the rest of the country.
He cited the case of Gomadhar Konwar, an Ahom prince, who initiated the first struggle for freedom from the British rule in 1827 after obtaining the support of the leaders of the various races and tribes of the erstwhile Assam.
Handique mentioned that Gomadhar Konwar started his fight against the British rule and attempted to build up an independent kingdom at Rajabari, which is now at Nakachari in Jorhat district of Assam. Nakachari, a place of tremendous historical importance, was formerly known as Toratoli, where traces of history are still lying scattered in every nook and corner, he said.
Asserting that without an understanding of the past, one cannot hope to even understand the issues of government, governance, planning and implementation in the North-east, not to speak of the rest of India, he said the North-east is a complex region. It is made more complex by the lack of understanding of its issues and peoples within the region and the country.
The population in the NER may be small. But there are numerous ethnic tribes and communities. �The multiplicity in languages, cultures, traditions has, hitherto, thrown out mere challenges. Though they offer opportunities, we have not been very successful in building up on these opportunities,� he commented.
