Bordoloi feted, but 49 yrs later

Prominent among those who have questioned the delay in conferring him the award are editors of several newspapers, including that of Asomiya Pratidin, the highest-circulated daily published from Guwahati, as also editor of the Eastern Clarion, published from Upper Assam.

ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa has said that in this case, the adage `Justice delayed is justice denied’ holds good. No doubt, Bordoloi had contributed towards saving the Assamese from losing their identity, but the way the Government of India has woken up to recognise him after nearly five decades could not be tolerated, the ULFA chief said in a statement.The ULFA chief also alleged the Centre ignoringBordoloi’s efforts to protect the tribal people of the region was the cause of dissatisfaction among the people of Assam. The Assam Tribune, the leading newspaper of the region, however, has not regretted the recognition to Bordoloi coming so late in the day. “The fact that the honour has been conferred after long 49 years of his death does not matter, because the Centre has been awarding it to stalwarts after their demise in recognition of their services,” the newspaper said.

Bordoloi, the leader of Assam during the peak of the freedom struggle, had not only successfully foiled the attempt of Mohammed Ali Jinnah to make the North-East a part of Pakistan, but also engaged in a war of words with Jawaharlal Nehru for granting “fullest possible autonomy” to the province in the wake of Independence.”

When the demand for Pakistan was raised and the two-nation theory put forth by the British, it was visualised that Pakistan would comprise the Muslim-majority provinces in the West as also Bang-E-Islamcomprising Bengal and Assam in the East.

So enthusiastic was the Muslim League in securing Assam that Moinul Haque Choudhury, the then private secretary to Jinnah (but who, after Independence became a Minister in Assam as well as the Centre) had even told Jinnah that he would “present Assam to him on a silver platter.”

Jinnah even confidently declared in Guwahati during a debate on Partition that Assam was already in his pocket. The Cabinet mission had placed Assam in `Group C’ with Bengal to go with Pakistan.

“Both the Congress and the Muslim League accepted the grouping plan, but Lokapriya Bordoloi vehemently opposed it. He was supported by Mahatma Gandhi. The grouping plan was foiled and Assam was saved from becoming a part of Pakistan,” said Assam Governor S K Sinha in his recent report to the President.

Says Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta: “It was Bordoloi who foiled the British plan to make Assam a part of Pakistan. He organised the people of the North-East, then undivided Assam,against this move and was successful in retaining this region with India.”