Assam bans book for ‘offending’ saint-reformer

The book is written by Srikanta Deva Sarma,a Guwahati-based priest. “The Government is also examining the scope of taking legal action against the author of the book,” the spokesman said.

The Asam Satra Mahasabha,apex body of vaishnavite monasteries in the state,was the first to react when Sarma’s book came out a couple of months ago. It has demanded not only a ban on the book,but also exemplary punishment to the author.

Sarma,however,claimed he hadn’t done anything wrong. “I have not written anything new. I have only compiled certain facts already contained in many books published in the past. I have also mentioned the name of the books from which I have picked up these aspects. I am helpless if some people feel offended over it,” Sarma,who issued a statement on Monday,said. He claimed that he had picked up ‘facts’ about the life of Sankaradeva from 16 books written by different authors and scholars and tried to point out the contradictions that these books contain. “I am not an author. I have only tried to put together several contradictions that these 16 books written by eminent scholars and authors contain about Sankaradeva. I have no reason or intention to demean Sankaradeva,” Sarma said.

Lakshminandan Bora,an eminent scholar and a former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha,the highest literary body of Assam,said the author had distorted facts. “It is nothing but distortion of facts about Sankaradeva,through which he has not only tried to belittle the saint-reformer but also offended the entire Assamese society,” said Bora,winner of the Sahitya Akademi award and author of Jakeri Nahike Upama,a novel based on the life and works of Sankaradeva.

“I feel that the book has been given undue importance. The book should have been ignored,” Bora added.