GUWAHATI: Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed has proposed the Assam government to set-up a Miya Museum at Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The Baghbar legislator made the strange proposal at a standing committee meeting of Assam Legislative Assembly.
“I have proposed a museum for the people living on the sandbars of Assam. The museum should be established at Kalakshetra. Since the majority of population of these areas is from so-called Miya community, therefore it should be named as Miya Museum,” Sherman Ali Ahmed said.
The Congress MLA said that a museum reflecting the culture and heritage of the Miya people living in the Char-Chaporis (Sandbars) of Assam should be set up on the premises of Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra which was an outcome of historic Assam Accord.
He also wrote to the director of museums of the Assam government to expedite the process of setting up the museum.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has vehemently resented the proposal of the Miya Museum at Sankardeva Kalakshetra which is held in high regard in Assamese culture.
“Miya Museum should be established at Rajiv Bhawan and AIUDF office. We warn Congress and AIUDF to stay away from the works and places associated with Srimanta Sankardeva,” said BJP leader Pabitra Margherita.
BJP leader and Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah also expressed his apprehension over the proposal.
“It is a dangerous indication for the Assamese people,” Baruah said.
On the other hand, several indigenous organisations also opposed the move.
Sankardeva Kalakshetra was set up in accordance with the Assam Accord to preserve the culture and heritage of the indigenous people of Assam including Satriya Culture propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva.
Then governor of Assam Bhisma Narayan Singh laid its foundation stone on February 2, 1988.
In 1990, the Assam government took up with the government of India, the matter of placing the project of the Kalakshetra under Clause VI of the Assam Accord which says –“Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”
On November 9 in 1998, then president of India K.R. Narayanan bestowed Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra to the nation.
