Guwahati, Jul 27 : ‘Swahid Smarak Kshetra’, a memorial for martyrs of the six-year-long Assam Agitation against Bangladeshi infiltration, in Guwahati is nearing completion, Assam Accord Implementation Minister Atul Bora has said.
He maintained that the state government is also actively implementing various clauses of the Accord, which was signed in August 1985 at the end of the mass movement.
“To honour the brave martyrs of the historic Assam Movement, the State Govt under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa is nearing completion of the Swahid Smarak Kshetra & Udyan at Pachim Boragaon, Guwahati,” Bora said in a post on X on Saturday after reviewing progress of the work.
He was accompanied by a delegation of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), among the signatories of the Accord.
Bora said the memorial will feature a 67.2m tower, busts of all martyrs, a light and sound show, cycle track, food court and other attractions, across 116 bighas (over 38 acres).
“Today, after inspecting the site, I also participated in a review meeting to evaluate the latest progress and instructed the authorities concerned to complete all remaining construction work swiftly,” the minister said.
Bora maintained that “to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people of Assam”, the state government is also “actively implementing various clauses of the historic Assam Accord”.
“As part of the implementation of Clause 6 of the Accord, the state government has already taken steps to implement 52 recommendations from the report submitted by the Justice (Retd) Biplab Sarma Committee,” he added.
Clause 6 of the Accord deals with political, economic, cultural, linguistic and other safeguards for indigenous people of the state.
AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, who was part of the students’ body’s team, also in a post on the social media site said, “To ensure that the sacrifices of the 860 martyrs and the public are duly portrayed, the AASU delegation offered its suggestions.”
“The AASU is thankful to the state government for undertaking this project at our request,” he added. (PTI)
