Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday inaugurated the Swahid Smarak at Boragaon in Guwahati on the occasion of Swahid Diwas.
Dedicating the memorial to those who laid down their lives during the Assam Movement, Sarma said, “We laid the foundation stone of the Jatiya Swahid Smarak on December 10, 2019, when Sarbananda Sonowal was the Chief Minister. Today, we have inaugurated a beautiful memorial in honour of the martyrs who stood up against infiltrators entering Assam from Bangladesh in 1979.”
Calling December 10 a “holy day,” he urged people across the state to safeguard Assam’s interests. “Do not sell your land to unknown people. Do not employ unknown individuals in your industries or business establishments. Do not bring unknown people to cultivate your land,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced the construction of a 500-seat auditorium on the premises and shared his vision to establish a digital library documenting the Assam Movement and the broader history of Assamese civilisation. “I dream of creating a digital repository where people can learn about the 5,000-year-old history of our community,” he added.
Built at a cost of ₹170 crore, the Swahid Smarak and accompanying Swahid Stamba span more than 150 bighas of land in Pachim Boragaon.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, several state Cabinet ministers, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota, senior officials, and leaders of AASU, including Chief Adviser Dr. Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, President Utpal Sarma, and General Secretary Samiran Phukan.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the martyrs of the Assam Movement, affirming that their sacrifices hold a defining place in India’s history. In a post on X, he said, “Today, on Swahid Diwas, we recall the valour of all those who were a part of the Assam Movement. The Movement will always have a prime place in our history. We reiterate our commitment to fulfilling the dreams of those who participated in the Assam Movement, notably the strengthening of Assam’s culture and the all-around progress of the state.”
Swahid Diwas is observed annually on December 10 to honour those who sacrificed their lives during the Assam Movement – a mass agitation launched in 1979 by the Assam Students’ Union (ASU) and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) against large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh. The movement culminated in 1985 with the signing of the historic Assam Accord, ensuring detection and deportation of illegal foreigners and guaranteeing constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards to protect Assamese identity, culture, and heritage.
(With ANI inputs)
