 Guwahati, Thursday, April 27, 2006 Plea to rescind move on State name change By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, April 26 Several organisations and individuals recently sent a joint memorandum to the President of India, Prime Minister, Union Law Minister, Governor and Chief Minister of the State resenting the recent move of the State Government to respell the name of the State as Asom in English. They pleaded for speedy steps to rescind the State Cabinet decision on the issue. The State Government had through a Cabinet decision resolved to respell the name of the State as Asom on February 27 last. Resenting this decision, office bearers of several organisations and individuals in their said joint memorandum called for steps to retain the spelling Assam. In their memorandum B Gogoi, a Central Executive Committee member of the Indian Buddhist Council, Madan Baruah Gohain, Secretary of the Assam Phralung Buddhist Society, B Phukan, Secretary, Central Committee, Assam Phralung Buddhist Tribal Youth Organisation, Rev Juna Chang Boun Phukan, Phralung Buddhist Tribal Priest, JK Deori, President, North East India Deori Study Circle, Nagaland, Chou Aizep Phukan, editor, Pulanchj, North Lakhimpur, Girindra Borgohain, Mauzadar, Sadiya Mauza, Rajiv Borgohain, editor, Naliapool, Dibrugarh, Naushad Ahmad (Roman), Secretary General, Minorities Education and Development Board, Graham Bazar, Dibrugarh, Rev Sumedhananada Bhikkhu, Secretary General, Rajkumar Siddhartha Education and Welfare Mission, Graham Bazar, Dibrugarh, Kamaleswar Gogoi, Adviser, Assam Chaodang Jati Parishad, Uttam Baruah, Secretary General, Chintadoot Sahitya Academy, Chiring Chapari, Dibrugarh, argued that Assam was connected with the word Shyam. The State came to be known after these Shyam rulers as Ashyam in local languages. The word shyam later degenerated and became sam in the local languages. The idea that the word shyam was used to refer those rulers can be derived from the classical Sanskrit writers and scholars referring the State as Shyam-Desh. It was described as Sam-Desh in Pali classical language. From the word Ashyam came the English word Assam during the British rule. But during the rule of the Ahom rulers too, the word Assam was in use in contemporary history and literature of the State in Assamese and Hindu-Sanskrit languages. The Ahom Buranjis or royal chronicles also referred to the Ahom rulers as Assam, argued the signatories to the memorandum. The mediaeval Bhutanese and Burmese rulers also mentioned Assam in their chronicles. Assam also became a state of independent India. The decision of the State Cabinet lacked unanimous mandate of the State Assembly by way of adoption of a resolution, due amendment to the Constitution of India through a decision of the Parliament of the country and above all, opinion of all sections of the people of the State, including the Ahoms, they argued.. For there exist constitutional and legal hindrances to effect a change in the name of the State, they said and resented the use of the name Asom by certain circles without there being any official notification. This has created confusion among the people. Steps to rescinded the State Cabinet decision on the issue speedily will strengthen the bond of unity among the peoples living in the State, they argued. |
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