Dr. Rubul Ahmed with a patient at his no-fees clinic
At a time when doctors are charging exorbitant fees in the name of treatment and the skyrocketing prices of medicines have cut big holes in patients’ pockets, a young doctor in Assam has become a messiah for many patients.
Dr Rubul Ahmed from Assam’s Bongaigaon district has started a free health camp every Thursday for a week to treat poor and needy patients. Dr Ahmed is a doctor working in Bongaigaon Civil Hospital in lower Assam.
Dr. Ahmed has been providing free health services to patients at Assam Medicine Centre, a private pharmacy located in Dhantula Bazar, Bangagaon every Thursday. His great work is being encouraged and supported by a voluntary organization called ‘Drishti’ About 50 to 80 patients, both male and female, are receiving free medical services from Dr. Rubul Ahmed in each health camp.
Dr. Rubul Ahmed
In an interview with Awaz-The Voice, Dr. Ahmed said; “I grew up in an underdeveloped area of Bongaigaon district with a mixed population. The love and blessings of the people of our area have motivated me to become a doctor. I will always be grateful to them. Most people in my area cannot afford costly advanced treatment. So, I have decided to help them by organizing a free health camp every Thursday for a week.”
Dr. Ahmed lost his father when he was a child. His mother worked very hard to educate him. Till the time he got admission to pursue an MBBS course to become a doctor, there was no electricity at his home. “So, I understand the plight of the poor people,” he said.
“After passing my MBBS examination from Gauhati Medical College in 2014, I worked as Chief Emergency Medical Officer at Nemecare Hospital in Guwahati. Then I worked as a doctor in a state hospital in Dhubri district under the National Health Mission. In January 2021, I joined Bangagaon Civil Hospital,” said Dr. Rubul Ahmed.
Patients waiting for their turn at the free camp organised by Dr Rubul Ahmed
“If we run after money every moment of our lives. So when will we work for people? I try to help people with the medical knowledge I have learned. After receiving free medical care from me, they can buy two good medicines with the money that ordinary people in this area normally use to pay doctor fees. If a very poor person comes to me for treatment, I will buy medicine for them with my own money,” Dr Ahmed said.
Dr. Rubul Ahmed has undertaken this great work in tribute to his late father Rahmanuddin Ahmed and his late mother Rupjan Begum. Dr. Rubul Ahmed’s great efforts will benefit many poor people in the Dhantula area in Bongaigaon district. He is committed and determined to continue his free treatment of patients till his last breath.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Ariful Islam, Guwahati / December 11th, 2024
Nanzeen Rahman Zaffar at the World tennis Masters’ Tour in Portugal
A woman in her 40s; a homemaker, a doting mother, and an ideal daughter-in-law – Nazneen Rahman Zaffar of Guwahati is all this yet has a distinct identity. She is an international tennis player.
Nazneen proves that age is no bar to success She is a mother of two children manages her family well and is yet able to find the time and energy to excel in sports.
“I played sports in school but never got into sports professionally. In college, I was focused on studying. I started playing late in life after I got married.’ After 10 years of playing tennis, she took a break to care for her children and family.
“I started playing tennis in 2011 and the next year, I participated in the state-level tournaments. Tasting success, I was even more interested in playing, and later on, I trained well and played at the national level,” Zaffar told Awaz-The Voice.
Nazneen Zaffar playing tennis
Later Nazneen Zaffar finished among the top 10 at the ITF Masters.
She says her daughter encouraged and inspired her to play tennis. Her daughter is currently pursuing her higher studies at the A&M University in Texas.
“When I took my daughter Raina Zaffar to the stadium for tennis training, I too wanted to play. Some of my friends always told me that I played good tennis and I should continue. They told me that they wanted to see me at the international level in Indian colours. I thought; why not give it a try? I participated in the international games held by the All India Tennis Association in Haryana where I won my first trophy in the doubles event.”
Nazneer Zaffar with her trophis and receiving a trophy
Nazneen Zaffar won the All Assam CTC Mixed Doubles titles in 2023 and 2024, finished runner-up in World Masters Tournament 200 in Dubai in 2023, won titles in Masters Tournament 200 in Guwahati and in Darjeeling in 2023 and a Masters Tournament 100 in Gurugram in 2023.
She also won the doubles title in a Masters 400 in Thailand.
“I gradually started participating in more tournaments and my ranking improved. Then when India sent a women’s team for the World Championships, I was appointed its Captain.”
She took the first women’s tennis team to Portugal. “Most importantly, every player in our team was a mother. It’s nice to think that we have made a distinct identity after having children.”
Nazneen Zaffar with her husband Shahnawaz Zaffar.
Nazneen has broken the myth that it is difficult for women to maintain physical fitness after becoming mothers. Nazneen is an athlete and an active fitness influencer on social media as well.
“I think sports and physical education are always complementary. When I had to take my daughter to different places for sports, I had to take care of her body and fitness. Since it becomes too expensive to take a fitness coach with us every time, I studied how we can keep ourselves fit; and how a tennis player can take care of her fitness.”
“It becomes quite difficult for women of my age to keep fit after bearing children. Many women give up self-care. However, I believe that every woman should take care of herself, not just because she has to play sports, but for her physical and mental health. They must walk and do yoga. Muscle formation slows down in a woman after the age of 30. On the other hand, when the time of menopause comes at the age of 40, many hormonal imbalances occur.
Raina Zaffar in the tennis court (Left) Nazneen and his family in Tennis court
“We have to keep ourselves fit to deal with all these problems. There are so many women who after a certain age would say we can’t do this… we can’t do that. But I think there is no age to stop learning. Even a woman in her 80s and 90s can learn or do many things if she has the confidence and desire. When I started playing, there were very few women in Assam, but now many women have come out,” Nazneen said.
“I have been imparting free yoga training at the Khanapara ground. I believe apart from physical fitness, we must also focus on mental health. When we are mentally fit, we live happily and can also keep others happy; and deal with all the problems. When members of a family see this change in the woman, they too want to change,” the fitness influencer emphasized.
In many cases, a woman, especially a Muslim woman, finds going out a hassle. As a Muslim woman, Nazneen Zaffar has never encountered someone questioning or blocking her; rather she receives support from her family.
Nazneen Zaffar with the Indian team
“I get a lot of support from my family. My father supported me when I was young and later it was my husband Shahnawaz Zaffar. He is an NIS-accredited tennis coach. He guides me on many aspects of the game. Many women, especially Muslims, are reluctant to go out. I am very fortunate that my family supports me financially and mentally.”
Nazneen also links sports with religion and spiritualism. “I pray and fast regularly except sometimes when I am playing for competitions. When I have to go out for sports, I stay in a single room so that I can carry on with my religious activities smoothly. Religion helps us keep our bodies healthy. We fast for a month which is a very positive practice and this rule of fasting has many scientific implications for an athlete,” she said.
Since a player faces various situations during sports how can the player maintain mental stability to cope with good and bad situations are some difficult aspects of sports. Nazneen Zaffar, an athlete and fitness influencer, has done a course in sports psychology. Through this, she has been advising many players on how to keep their mental state stable.
“I did a course in sports psychology. Tennis is a very difficult game. There are many good and bad experiences. Since my daughter and son play along with me, I’ve done this course,” she said.
Nazneen with Bollywood actor Gul Panag
“I have been able to help my children stay mentally stable. I also advise many other players to stay strong. The course teaches how to deal with situations after losing a game or how to be determined. For instance, I have to decide the moment I enter the court that I have to win this game anyway, no matter who the competitor is. It helps me to keep up with the expectations of the audience,” she explained.
Of late Nazneen has been promoting a relatively new sport in Assam – pickleball.
“Pickleball is a fast-spreading sport in Assam. It is spreading rapidly in the US as well as in Asian countries. It is spreading in India as well. This game is simple and convenient. It has no hard and fast rules. It is a mixture of tennis, table tennis, badminton, etc, and can be played by people of all ages. It is a game where a polymer ball is played with a small paddle made of fiber, micro-fiber, and wood. We have brought this game to Assam. We recently demonstrated pickleball in several schools and IAS Colony and got a very good response.”
Pickleball has been launched in 23 states of India. In NCR, Delhi NCR, and Western India, new coaches are coming up and about 10,000 players have registered. An institute named Pickleball World Ranking was launched recently in Dubai.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Munni Begum, Guwahati / August 06th, 2024
Acclaimed actor Adil Hussain, known for his significant contributions to Indian and international cinema, has been awarded the prestigious Anandaram Dhekial Phukan Award for 2024. The award recognises Hussain’s achievements in the film industry and his continued efforts to bring Assamese culture and stories to a global audience, reported India Today.
Expressing his gratitude, Hussain took to social media, writing, “Thank you so much for choosing me for the Anandaram Dhekial Phukan Award. I am honoured and humbled.” The actor, who hails from Goalpara in Assam, has long been celebrated for his versatile performances in independent films and his work in international cinema.
The Anandaram Dhekial Phukan Award is named after one of Assam’s literary pioneers, who played a vital role in promoting the Assamese language during the Orunodoi era. The award commemorates Phukan’s contributions to Assamese literature and culture, and it is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields.
Hussain’s recognition with this award highlights his deep connection to his Assamese roots and his dedication to representing his culture on a global stage.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards> Latest News / by Radiance News Bureau / September 01st, 2024
Marai Village, Siphajr (Darang District) , ASSAM :
Inside the shrine of Baga Baba
As National Highway-15 traverses through the village Marai of the Darang district in northern Assam, travellers see a shrine that commands the devotion and reverence of both Hindus and Muslims.
This is the shrine of Baba Baga which is visited by people of all faiths, and is especially popular among travelers who have taken the NH-15. Trucks and buses that come from far and wide stop here to offer prayers and make donations. All passenger buses and goods trucks stop here as the shrine management has kept drinking water available.
Baga Baba was born as Abdul Khaleque. He came to Assam in 1916 from the then Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh). Initially, he lived in Gog, Satsali, and Badalguri and finally settled down in Marai village of Sipajhar in 1919.
The shrine of Baga Baba in village Marai
From there, he launched his mission of spreading Islam in the greater Darang district. The Sufi cleric also joined the Indian freedom movement; he was also jailed.
Baga Baba died in 1933 and the locals raised a mausoleum (mazar) on his grave.
Speaking with Awaz-The Voice, Hafiz Ali, secretary of Baga Baba Mazar, said: “The cleric lit the torch of Islam here. Along with preaching the religion, he also spread the message of peace, harmony, and brotherhood. Then he sent Maulana Didaruddin Saheb to be educated as a maulana. Everybody believes Baga Baba to be an Auliya (master of some divine power) of Allah. Hindus and Muslims alike come here and pray.
“At present, people from all over Assam and India who travel through this highway donate at this mazar. Today the village has nine mosques. The inflow of people and pilgrims has increased over the years. Hindus and Muslims have equally contributed to it.
Drinking water facility at the shrine for travellers
The construction work of the mazar was initiated by former president Jiban Baruah. There are still many non-Muslims, such as Bhumidhar Saharia, Himanshu Kalita, and others, in the management committee of the Mazar,” he said.
The shrine hosts Milad sharif every Thursday of the week. In addition, a Urs is held every year on 12 of Magh (late January), the death anniversary of Baga Baba. People from different parts of India participate in the Urs. Although the Baga Baba Mazar is located on the northern side of NH 15, there is also a premises of the Mazar on the southern side of the road.
It is worth mentioning that the Baga Baba Mazar has played a significant role in maintaining Hindu-Muslim unity and harmony in the entire Darang district as well as in the greater Marai Bijulibari area.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Ariful Islam, Sipajhar / June 25th, 2024
For a cop toughened by years of dealing with criminals, writing soft stories may seem an oxymoron of sorts. But for Moinul Islam Mandal, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Dergaon Police Training College, there is no antithesis as his writings stem from the core belief that the “Truth will always prevail” and the perception that all religions are in harmony.
Having authored 18 essays that were compiled in a book, Aapun Jibonor Ortho Bisari (Finding the meaning of life). Mandal said that his essays are experiences and ideas that he garnered during his career as a policeman.
“These experiences molded my thought processes. The ideas germinated during my time as a policeman,” he said.
Moinul Islam Mandal during a book release function
Mandal said that most of his essays are based on the premise that the truth would always prevail –and he had attempted to offer both a scientific and philosophical reason behind this in his essays.
Citing an example he said that he had drawn a parallel of the human being with a computer. – “the organs are the hardware, what is imprinted in the brain is the software and our soul is the driver.”
His first essay was on the coronavirus, written during the lockdowns after the pandemic was declared in 2020 and there was plenty of time to write at the Dergaon PTC.
DIG Moinul Islam Mandal during a security operation
Mandal defines the Coronavirus in relation to nature and humans.
“It is about how the universe is run by natural law and that humans are also ruled by this same law. It also depicts how religion cannot be a separate entity from nature but is only an extended part of nature,” he said. This essay received a lot of feedback after it was published in the Asomiya Pratidin, an Assamese language newspaper.
“It encouraged me to write more and he wrote 17 more essays which were published in the newspaper,” Mandal said. And thus from a man who used to dabble in poetry, Mandal evolved into writing in-depth on soul-stirring topics.
Mandal said that he compiled the essays in a book after former IPS officer Pallab Bhattacharyya called him from Delhi to tell him how much he liked one of the essays, The Afghan Snow… “I thought that over time, these essays would get lost, so I decided to preserve them in a book,” he said.
Explaining the title of the book, he said, “I had my perception of what life is. Likewise, everyone has his or her definition of life, and there are similarities of the thought process, a universality which everyone can relate to that I try to bring out in my writings, ” he said. Six of his essays in the book deal with the oneness of Hinduism and Islam.
Former deputy commissioner Ajit Kumar Bordoloi who released the book along with former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Basanta Goswami said that these essays explore the relationship of religion with man, the Hindu Muslim divide, and the 19th essay in the book, Mussalman ne Muslim Manaxikota, needs the courage to write.
DIG Moinul Islam Mandal saluting the National Flag
“People are now so involved in the religious rituals and this has polluted religion to such an extent that humanity which forms the basis of all religions has been suppressed to near extinction,” he said.
There is nothing different between Hindus and Muslims. With my knowledge of Islam and on the reading of the Gita I did not find anything that was against humanity. We are all humane and equal human beings. It is only after we divide ourselves into castes, religions, or languages that we become polluted,” he added.
Tracing his journey as a writer, he said that it all began during his college days in the Assam Agricultural University when he used to write poems and put them up on the wall of his hostel room. The other students encouraged me to write in the college magazine.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Smita Bhattacharyya, Jorhat / February 2022
Khilorband (Patharkandi Village, Karimganj District), ASSAM:
By establishing nine schools with the money collected from driving an autorickshaw, Ali has helped bridge the gap between education and poverty in his community.
Ahmed Ali, from Assam’s Karimganj district, is a true inspiration for many, especially those who are determined to make a positive difference in their communities. Despite facing financial challenges, the 87-year-old decided to take matters into his own hands and established schools in his village to provide education to underprivileged children.
By establishing nine schools with the money collected from driving an autorickshaw, Ali has helped bridge the gap between education and poverty in his community. He understands that education is the key to unlocking opportunities and breaking the cycle of poverty. His schools offer affordable education to students who would otherwise not have access to it.
He is a resident of Khilorband, a marginal village of Patharkandi in the Indian state of Assam, bordering Bangladesh. Ali started the first school in 1978 in his village Madhurband. He sold some of his land and donated a part of the land to the school, on which it was built. Out of his 36 bigha land, he donated 32 bigha land for the construction of the school. Funding of the school is also done from its deposits, daily earnings and donations.
His high School was set up in 1990. In addition to it, he also established three lower secondary schools, five secondary schools and one higher secondary school. He hopes to establish a college in the future.
Besides donating his own land for the schools’ construction, Ali also works hard to keep them running. He drives a rickshaw during the day to earn a living, and at night, he cuts wood to help maintain the school’s finances. His dedication and hard work have made a significant impact on the education of many children in his community.
Ahmed Ali’s work has not gone unnoticed. He was nominated for the News18 Rising India Real Heroes Award in the education category, and he will be conferred with the award at the News18 Rising India Summit at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi on March 30.
His story has been shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ inspiring many others to take action in their own communities. Narendra Modi said, “I have come to know that a rickshaw puller named Ahmed Ali of Assam’s Karimganj district has opened nine schools for the education of poor children. It is a beautiful manifestation of the will of the people of our country.” Ali was also invited to Delhi as a speaker by an NGO Jookto.
source: http://www.news18.com / News 18 / Home> India / by Akhi Das, edited by Jessica Nani / March 29th, 2023
Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle, you just have to keep moving to keep the balance.” This has been proved right by cyclist Tanveer Firdous Hussain, a resident of the Goalpara district of Assam. He has crossed several hurdles to ink his name in the Assam Book of Records and the India Book of Records for cycling.
“I love sports and cycling. I started cycling when I was seven years old. I had a dream of setting a record by cycling. But my mother and father did not support me. Like other parents, they insisted that I pay more attention to my studies. My parents didn’t like me playing sports. They wanted me to study and have a good career,” Tanveer has told Awaz-The Voice.
Tanveer, son of Sabibor Hussain and Laila Muskura Begum, was interested in athletics from his very childhood. While in school, he won a prize for finishing 100 meters in 11:35 minutes in a State-level competition. However, Tanveer failed in the district-level race competition. This harmed Tanveer’s studies. Tanveer got another opportunity from Khelo India but lost it due to a lack of support from his father.
Tanveer Fidous Hussain planting trees during his cycling expedition
“My father admitted me to a hostel to focus on my studies. But I left the hostel after staying there for a few days. Then, my father was very angry and completely stopped me from leaving home to play sports. One day I thought of setting a new record by cycling, but I didn’t tell my parents about it.
One fine morning in 2021, I left home alone on my bicycle and started riding from Alsalam Hospital in Goalpara at 5 am and reached my destination at Solace Nursing Home premises at 6.55 am. I cycled 3.92 km in about 1 hour 55 minutes for which I could include my name in the Assam Book of Records,” Tanveer said.
In the same year, Tanveer also inked his name in the India Book of Records for cycling. “In November 2021, I started my cycling journey from Naranarayan Setu (bridge) in Goalpara at 4 am and crossed 129 km to Barpeta in 6 hours and 10 minutes without holding the handlebars. That journey helped me enter my name in the India Book of Records,” he said.
Tanveer Hussain with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
After winning the Assam Book of Records and India Book of Records titles, Tanveer has been cycling and studying well.
Recently, Tanveer started a tireless journey by cycling under the banner of ‘pedal for exigency’ to protect the green environment and protect the earth.
“I started my cycling journey under the banner of ‘pedal for exigency’ to protect the environment and the earth. I cycled for 60 consecutive days. I cycled 15 km daily and planted one tree. I planted more than 200 trees in different districts. I want to encourage people to do their daily activities by using cycle,” Tanveer said.
Tanveer Hussain receiving the certificate for his record
Nowadays, the use of bicycles has declined. People go out with petrol and diesel-powered two-wheelers and four-wheelers for any purpose. This causes massive pollution, which threatens the environment, he added.
“I am trying to convince people to maintain cleanliness and balance in the environment by using bicycles instead of petrol-diesel vehicles. If petrol or diesel vehicles get caught in a traffic snarl, carbon monoxide is released from such cars which causes a risk of cancer in our bodies. On the other hand, cycling increases blood circulation in our body, increases IQ level, and boosts our immune system,” Tanveer said.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz The Voice / Home> Sports / by Munni Begum , Guwahati / October 10th, 2022
The firing at the border of the two states was unprecedented. While the versions offered by the Assam and Mizoram chief ministers differ, Amit Shah’s failure to prevent the clash raises questions about the role of the Union home ministry.
Damaged security force vehicle at the site of the Mondays clashes at Lailapur on the Assam-Mizoram border, in Cachar district, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Photo: PTI
New Delhi:
Visiting Shillong on July 24, Union home minister Amit Shah had grandly declared that the Narendra Modi government was keen to resolve all border disputes between north-eastern states. Barely 48 hours later, the Assam-Mizoram border witnessed a massive escalation of tension, ending in violence which claimed the lives of five Assam policemen. At least 42 Assam Police personnel were injured.
As violence broke out along the border town of Vairengte in Mizoram’s Kolasib district – which is adjacent to Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district – at around 4.40 pm on July 26, so did a Twitter war of words between the chief ministers of the two states, Zoramthanga and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Ironically both CMs, who are members of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), began tagging Shah, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Modi, as if expecting them to come to their rescue. Sarma uploaded video clips for people to “know how personnel of Mizoram police acted and escalated the issue” and purportedly showing “Mizoram Police and goons celebrating” after causing the death of Assam Police personnel.
Those who lost their lives in the skirmish were Assam Police sub-inspector Swapan Roy and constables Liton Suklabaidya, N. Hussain, Samsul ZamanBarbhuiya and M. H. Barbhuyia. Among the injured was the superintendent of police, Cachar, and the Inspector General of Police.
Sarma also accused Mizoram Police of using light machine guns (LMGs). He said the use of LMGs “speaks volumes about the intention and gravity of the situation.”
Police personnel during a clash at Assam-Mizoram border at Lailapur in Cachar district, Monday, July 26, 2021. Photo: PTI
Meeting and the border
The only problem with appealing to Shah is that the Union home minister has once again been found asleep at the wheel. For months now, North Block has received inputs of mounting tension on the Assam-Mizoram border. But Shah appears to have been oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
The fact that he met both Sarma and Zoramthanga in Shillong and yet was unable to forestall Monday’s deadly clash will reinforce the impression that Shah’s interests are primarily political and not administrative.
According to ANI, Zoramthanga, at the July 24 meeting with Shah and Sarma, had said that the areas claimed by Assam were used by Mizos for more than a 100 years. He had also alleged that Assam had started claiming those border areas because of its population growth due to a spike in the number of ‘migrants’ settling down in the Barak Valley.
Three districts of Mizoram – Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl – share the state’s 165 km boundary with three districts of Assam’s Barak Valley – Cachar, Hailkandi and Karimganj.
The Assam-Mizoram border. The marker is on Vairengte. Photo: Google Maps
A day after the violence, on July 27, Sarma, along with his trusted aides, minister Pijush Hazarika and MLA Ashok Singhal, along with local MLAs, visited the disturbed district of Cachar.
At a press meet in Silchar, Sarma said that for the past two months, there had been at least 12 to 13 attempts to occupy “Assam’s land in five sectors” along the inter-state border.
He said, “But I can assure people in Assam that not an inch has been ceded by Assam after May 10 (the day Sarma took over as Assam chief minister).”
“In the Shillong meeting, I had told Zoramthanga, ‘Let’s do a satellite mapping of the present border even if it is till May 10 (2021) and maintain the status quo and let the Central government decide on the permanent status,’ to which he agreed. But after the draft was readied, his government refused to sign on it.”
“I was on phone with Zoramthanga on July 26 from 11.30 am, till 4.40 pm when the firing began. I requested him to intervene and stop the violence. When the firing happened, I informed him and he said I am sorry about it. That was the last we spoke on phone.”
The Wire breaks down what led to the unprecedented firing involving the police forces of two neighbouring states on July 26.
What happened on July 26?
According to Assam chief minister Sarma, on July 25, his administration in Guwahati received input from the Silchar district forest officer about a road being constructed by Mizoram inside the inner line reserve forest on the border near Lailapur.
He said this led a delegation of Assam officials to visit the spot led by an IGP, the Cachar SP and the district commissioner on July 26. “They found that not only was a road being constructed inside the reserve forest (the road was stated to be going towards Renti Basti in Assam) by breaching the status quo and destroying the Inner Line reserve forest in the Lailapur area, but there was also a new armed outpost of the Mizoram Police.”
“The team requested that the outpost created next to the camp of a neutral force, the CRPF, be removed and status quo be maintained. While they were still in dialogue with the Mizoram police personnel, a number of civilians atop a hillock began to fire at them, leading to injuries and death of our personnel. I have video evidence with me to show that the civilians were armed. Now the question is, who gave arms to them?” he told reporters in Silchar on July 27.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma interacts with media after visiting the police personnel injured in a clash at Assam-Mizoram border, at Silchar Medical College & Hospital. Photo: PTI/Twitter
In a statement issued on July 26, the Assam government accused Mizoram Police of supporting the civilian mob.
“The aggressive behaviour and posture of this mob along with the fact that they were brandishing weapons and wearing helmets is clearly seen in all available video footage. While the mob pelted stones on (at) the Assam officials and destroyed three vehicles including the DC’s car, the Mizoram Police simultaneously fired tea gas shells on (at) the delegation. The IGP was injured in this barrage.”
It further said, “In the afternoon, SP Kolasib along with two additional SP level officers held a discussion with the Assam delegation during which they were requested to control the mob and not let them take the law in their hands, thus disturbing peace.”
The Assam government statement said that though the Mizoram police personnel ostensibly went to speak to them, they soon said they cannot control the mob. “Horrifically, even while the SP Kolasib, was in talks with the Assam officers, the Mizoram Police opened fire on the Assam officials and civilians, who had by then gathered there (on the Assam side), from two dominating high features (hillocks) with automatic weapons including LMGs.”
However, according to a statement by Mizoram government, “around 200” Assam Police personnel led by an IGP came over to the Mizoram side (the Vairengte auto-rickshaw stand) at around 11.30 am and “forcibly crossed the duty post manned by CRPF personnel stationed there and overran a duty post manned by one section of Mizoram police personnel.”
The Mizoram statement said, “The Assam police also damaged several vehicles that were travelling along the national highway between Vairengte and Lailapur.”
Damaged security force vehicles at the site of the Mondays clashes at Lailapur on the Assam-Mizoram border, in Cachar district, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Photo: PTI
The statement said the residents of Vairangte town assembled after the violence occurred. Though a video shared by both the chief ministers featured civilians armed with sticks, the Mizoram government’s statement called them “unarmed” and stated that they were instead “assaulted by Assam Police with lathi charging…tear gas, thereby causing injuries to several civilians”.
The Mizoram government also accused the Assam Police of not only using tear gas on the Mizoram Police but also firing at them first. On Tuesday night, the state chief minister tweeted that one policeman from the state had been injured.
The government’s statement said, “Mizoram Police responded spontaneously by firing back at Assam Police in spite of the fact that the SP, Kolasib district, was still inside the CRPF duty camp negotiating with Assam Police authorities.”
Recent developments leading to the July 26 incident
As stated by Sarma, the situation on the Assam-Mizoram border has been particularly uneasy for the last two months.
As per news reports , early this month, around 25-30 people from Mizoram attempted to encroach into land inside Assam – leading to a number of blasts which were claimed to be IED explosions by the Assam Police. Reports said the Assam Police had claimed that these blasts took place in the Cachar district, and were engineered allegedly by “miscreants from Mizoram during an eviction drive” in Khulichera area.
The last instance of violence in the Lailapur and Vairangte area can be traced back to October 2020 when civilians on both sides had engaged in clashes. Around the same time, a similar pattern of violence was reported from Assam’s Karimganj side which is adjacent to Mamit district of Mizoram.
In February 2018 too, the Mizoram-Assam border, along Hailkhandi district, witnessed violence with Assam Police reportedly baton charging supporters of the powerful student body Mizo Zirlai Paul (MZP) who had protested the removal of a shed it had constructed. The Assam Police had called it an encroachment. Several journalists were also injured in that lathicharge.
In recent times, the border clash has only intensified.
What is the dispute?
The boundary dispute of Assam with states carved out of it after Independence is not new. Among those disputes, the one with Nagaland has led to large-scale violence and deaths for considerable time and the volatility of the situation along the Golaghat district of Assam continues. There was a clash between the Assam and Nagaland police on the border dispute in the 1980s, in the Merapani area of Assam’s Golaghat district.
The Assam-Mizoram border dispute has, however, never seen such an escalation before.
The basic premise of the dispute between Mizoram and Assam has been around two notifications dating back to the British era. Mizoram, before it became a Union Territory in 1972 and a state in 1986, was the Lushai Hills District of Assam.
Locals during a clash with police personnel at Assam-Mizoram border at Lailapur in Cachar district, Monday, July 26, 2021. Photo: PTI
While the Mizos acknowledge the colonial era notification issued in 1875 which separated the Lushai hills from the Cachar plains, because it was done after a discussion with the tribal chiefs, Assam acknowledges yet another British era notification issued in 1933 which demarcates the boundary between the Lushai hills and Manipur. Mizoram argues that the 1933 notification was issued without consulting the Mizos, and thus calls for the 1875 notification to be accepted instead – also because it was derived from the Bengal Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, based on which a non-Mizoram resident still needs an inner line permit to enter the state.
Speaking to reporters in Cachar on July 27, Assam chief minister Sarma addressed the issue, stating, “Mizoram was carved out of Assam. Earlier it was all Assam’s land. When the Union territory of Mizoram was created, a particular area was given away as the UT. The rest remained as Assam’s land. What was there in the British era is different.”
He also said, “If tomorrow the Centre decides to give certain areas to Mizoram from Assam, I will have to let it go because it is Centre’s prerogative to decide it but till then status quo has to be maintained.”
Most of the states “carved out” would dispute Sarma’s claim that their territory was “all Assam’s land”. After all, undivided Assam and other ‘provinces’ and territories in British India were demarcated by the colonial authorities for administrative and political purposes – often at the cost of trampling on the identity of the different ethnic groups they lumped together.
What is the present state of affairs?
According to the Assam government, its police have moved away from the outpost created by the Mizoram Police as per instructions issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. “Our police is stationed a hundred metres away from the CRPF camp but the Mizoram Police has not vacated it yet,” Sarma told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Assam government has announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job each to the deceased’s families. The 42 police personnel injured in the July 26 violence will be given compensation of Rs one lakh each.
Sarma announced that the Assam Police personnel who are guarding the volatile border would be paid the salary of an additional month. He also said new companies of battalions comprising a total of 3,000 police personnel will be stationed along the border aside from the CRPF. Since the incident took place on land within “Assam’s jurisdiction”, the chief minister said an FIR would be filed which would lead to an inquiry into “who armed the civilians”.
The DGPs of Assam and Mizoram have been summoned by the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 29 to sort out the matter.
source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Politics / by The Wire Analysis / July 27th, 2021
A book titled ‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’, authored by Zafri Mudasser Nofil, attempts to define the Assamese Muslims as distinct from the Muslims in other parts of India and different from the immigrant Muslims in Assam.
New Delhi-based author Zafri Mudasser Nofil, who hails from Dibrugarh, says the Assamese Muslims are different from the rest of the community in the country.
Over the years, they have assimilated to the greater Assamese society to such an extent that barring religion, there is not much to differentiate them.
But of late, this community has been suffering from the ignominy of being bracketed with illegal immigrants as ‘Miya’, Nofil, who himself is an Assamese Muslim, laments.
Muslims residing in the state for centuries consider themselves to be an integral part of Assamese society, he writes.
In the book, he cites an example of this aspect: The ancestors of the Daullahs, a respected Muslim family in Sivasagar town played the negera – a kind of drum – at the Dols in Sivasagar during the reign of the Ahom kings.
During those days, animals were sacrificed on Ashtami day of Durga Puja as offering to the goddess.
As a gesture of respect to people of other beliefs, the Sivasagar Dol Development committee offers a sacrificial goat to the Daullah family even now. (From an edited excerpt)
Another excerpt which reveals the assimilation reads: “Magh Bihu for Deshi Muslims is Pushna while Bohag Bihu is Beshoma. On Goru Bihu, the first day of the Bohag Bihu, people in the state give a traditional bath to their cows and bulls they rub a paste of pulses and turmeric and then birch them very gently with leaves of some shrubs… After the cattle are given a bath the Deshis eat Misheli, a preparation of fried rice, lentils, onions and chillies.”
Nofil says that the contribution of Assamese Muslims over the years had been multi-faceted, diverse and immense.
“Be it politics, civil services, literature, art, education, medical science, law, sports, music, films and entertainment, they have excelled in every field. Of the most valuable contributions to the cultural richness of Assam are the Zikir and Zari songs,” he elaborates.
“Litterateur Imran Shah says the contribution of Assamese Muslims to the greater Assamese society is unparalleled. But it’s a case of ‘little done and vast undone’ as far as documentation is concerned,” he further says.
As he was toying with the idea of this book, he remembered what Toni Morrison once said: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
Despite the vastness of the subject and the challenges it posed, the fact that there was very little published materials regarding the Assamese Muslims prompted Nofil to go ahead and write the book on this topic.
The book unravels the journey of this community and looks at how they have contributed significantly to the composite heritage of the state.
It profiles icons like Bagh Hazarika and Bahadur Gaon Burha to achievers like Imdad Ali, Yamin Hazarika, Adil Hussain and Begum Parveen Sultana, and also looks at some of the interesting customs of Deshis, Moriyas and Julhas.
“Assam is a land representing cohesive social and cultural tapestry and Muslims have a history of over seven-and-a-half centuries in the state.”
“The indigenous Assamese Muslims trace their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region. They came to Assam in various phases.
“Ali Mech is believed to be the first person to convert into Islam sometime in the early 13th century and ever since, Muslims have merged into the sociocultural milieu of Assam,” Nofil says.
“I have attempted to write this book as narrative non-fiction though I have profusely quoted from historical texts that are relevant to the discussion,” he adds.
There are several nuggets highlighting age-old camaraderie and also chapters on Azan Pir and his Zikirs, cuisine, Muslim marriages, the NRC and the CAA.
(‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’ is available on Amazon and with Har-Anand Publications. The author can be reached at zafri.nofil@gmail.com and @zafrimn on Twitter)
source: http://www.nenow.in / North East Now / Home> Article / by Smita Bhattacharya / December 26th, 2020
Shaeema Zaman Ahmed, a youngster from Guwahati, brought laurels to Assam and India for her visionary work on quantum physics research, for which she was awarded the PhD from Aarhus University, in Denmark, on June 28.
After her earlier schooling at Maria’s Public School, Guwahati, and her Masters in Physics from Delhi University, Shaeema was at the forefront of science outreach and astronomy education with Zlife Education in New Delhi.
Thereafter, she was offered a Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD fellowship at Aarhus University, Denmark, and was part of the Quantum-enhanced Sensing via Quantum Control (QusCo) EU programme.
Her work focussed on investigating the use and impact of quantum games and simulation tools in quantum physics education, science outreach, and quantum control research.
She was part of the design process in Quantum Moves 2 and Lab Manager and simulation tools like the Quantum Composer.
Her research studies on these tools explored how simulations can improve student learning of quantum mechanics.
Additionally, her work also addressed the potential of a citizen science game as a method to crowdsource solutions to solve quantum control problems, and the impact of the use of simulations in quantum physics outreach training.
The work was carried out under the supervision of Prof Jacob Friis Sherson, and the external examiners were Prof Sabrina Maniscalco from the University of Turku, Finland and Prof Stefan Heusler from the University of Münster, Germany.
Shaeema is the daughter of Guwahati-based paediatrician, Dr Shabina Ahmed and anesthesiologist, Dr Khafiluzzaman Ahmed.
The defence was viewed online, including her teachers at her alma mater, Maria’s Public School, Guwahati.
In a message to her alumnus, Nellie Ahmed Tanweer, Founder Director of the School, said “…the pride you bring to your school further inspires the next generation …
source: http://www.nenow.in / North East Now / Home> Northeast News> Assam / July 04th, 2021
