Litterateurs oppose move to change name By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Jan 15 Renowned musician Dr Bhupen Hazarika has also opposed the move to change the name of the State to Asom, which is yet to get a Presidential assent. The State Cabinet as well as the State Legislature by this time endorsed the move.
Meanwhile, four former presidents of the Asam Sahitya Sabha Homen Borgohain, Dr Nagen Saikia, Dr Birendranath Dutt and Dr Lakshminandan Bora, have opposed the change of the States name to Asom. Noted litterateur Dr Mamoni Roisom Goswami has also opposed the move as an entirely unwarranted and undemocratic move on the part of the State Legislature. Several organizations also have opposed the move and they have already held a convention and formed a committee to carry forward the fight against the move. In a written statement here, Dr Hazarika, who is regarded as a living legend by the people of the State, said, I strongly support retention of the name Assam for my State. Dr Hazarika has strongly objected to the change in the name of the State to Asom and told Rajen Barua a resident of Houston, USA, over the phone that the Britishers did not introduce the name Assam. It is a local Assamese name which has been in vogue since the coming of the Tai Ahoms to the State in the 13th century. It will be a grave historical blunder if the Government replaces Assam with Asom. The name Assam is also important for maintaining harmony among all sections of the people of the State. He suggested that Assam in English should be retained, while allowing Oxom to be the formal name of the State in Assamese, said Barua in a written statement received here today. It needs mention here that the State Cabinet approved a change in the English name of the State to Asom in February last year. The State Assembly on December 15 last year adopted a resolution endorsing the above Cabinet decision. The Assembly decision was adopted by a voice vote without any debate on the issue. Those who have been opposing the move since the very beginning are of the opinion that there was no demand from any quarter for this change in the name of the State. Moreover, there was no informed public discussion or debate held to determine as to whether it was a priority for the people of the State to change the name of their State, and, if it was so, then which would be the best alternative to its existing name. A petition was also submitted to Chief Minister on January 2,opposing the move. The copies of the petition have also been sent to the President and Prime Minister of the country. Buljit Buragohain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Rescind Assembly decision on Asom By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Jan 3 About 150 professionals living in different parts of the state, country and abroad have made an appeal to the Chief Minister of the state to rescind the state Assembly resolution on the change of the name of the state to Asom. For the purpose of changing the name of the state, they also advised the Chief Minister to set up an advisory commission with eminent citizens, academicians, historians, linguists, literary figures and the like and the members of the Assamese Diaspora, to have a transparent debate on the issue with public participation. In their petition to the Chief Minister, these persons identified themselves as friends and well wishers of Assam living in and outside the State and country. They have also forwarded the copies of the petition to the President and Prime Minister of the country. In their petition, they have stated that the December 15, 2006 resolution of the State Assembly was not supported by any argument or reason, nor any debate was allowed despite requests from the opposition. They expressed their shock at the decision of the Assembly and registered their strong opposition to this entirely unwarranted and undemocratic move on the part of the State Legislature. For, the States name is not something for changing in as casual a fashion as it has been done, without a thorough and informed public discussion and debate. It has never a mandate of the people. Moreover, the Legislature did not give a credible set of reasons for the change from the internationally well-recognised name Assam to Asom. In these days of globalisation, to dilute and muddy Assams international name recognition is entirely counterproductive, argue the professionals. They have also argued that there is clear historical evidence that the British did not introduce the name Assam. It was in use long before the British signed the Treaty of Yandaboo on February 24, 1826. The Britishers also used the word Assam in the treaty. Even from the Ahom Buranjis, it is found that the Mughals also used the name Ashyam for the State. The same is also evident from various historical documents of the Mughal period and the Dutch chronicles of the pre-British era. In the Persian publications of the Mughal period, like the Akbarnama (1542-1605), Pashah-Namah (1627-1647), Alamgir-Namah (1657-1667) and Tarikh I Mulk-I Asham, the name Asham is mentioned. On the other hand, the name Asom is not found anywhere in the pre-British period, argue the professionals. In the map of the Kingdom Bengale (Kingdom of Bengal), drawn by a Dutchman named John van Leenen, who was in Bengale in 1661, also recorded the name Assam. The map was published around 1662 and currently preserved in the Maritime Museum, Rotterdam. In a letter sent by Joan Mertsuyker, Governor General of Dutch Batavia on August 29, 1663, he addressed Mirjumala as General veldheer van den Grooten Mogol in Assam, Bengale etc. There is also a diary of a Dutchman published in 1675, which mentions the name of Assam and described its people as Assamer. The Dutchman fought alongside the army of Mirjumala in 1662. These are some of the written historical records of the existence of the spelling Assam for the name of the State long before the advent of the British to it, claim the professionals. They have also mentioned that according to many historians, the phonetic name Assam was derived from the Sanskrit name Shyam, the name of the Shan people who invaded and conquered the State in the 13th century AD. However, according to historian Baden Powel, the word Assam might have been derived from even older original Bodo word Ha-som, meaning low land. Thus it has been found that the phonetic name Assam has been in existence for the past 800 years and has a strong connection with the coming of the Tai-Ahoms to the State, even if the possibility or an earlier Bodo origin of it is ruled out, argue the professionals. They have also pleaded for protection and promotion of the unique xo or kho guttural sound of Assamese language as a linguistic heritage. This should not be allowed to be diluted by the so sound being introduced through Asom. They have also argued that the duality of identity of the State as Assam in English and Oxom in Assamese would not rob or dilute the States unique cultural, linguistic and ethnic heritage. Even India has two identities India in English and Bharat in Indian languages. Similarly, the English name of Pachim Bongo is West Bengal. On behalf of the professionals Rajen Barua of Texas, USA signed the petition. The list of the professionals has also been enclosed with the petition. Send free SMS to your Friends on Mobile from your Yahoo! Messenger. Download Now! http://messenger.yahoo.com/download.php --------------------------------- Heres a new way to find what you're looking for - Yahoo! Answers
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