Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma urges Koch Rajbonghis not to sell off their lands

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 19 urged the Koch Rajbongshi people not to sell their lands to others.

CM Sarma was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 10-day Bishuwa festival that kicked off in Bongaigaon today, where he remarked that the Koch Rajbongshi people should give up agitations and instead bring a revolution through education and cultural movement. He further stated that the Koch Rajbongshis should rather focus on promoting their rich heritage and history and take a resolution to not sell their lands to others in order to safeguard their identity.

With regard to providing tribal status to Koch-Rajbongshis, CM Sarma said, "The tribals have no objection to granting tribal status to the Koch-Rajbongshi people living in undivided Goalpara district".

"But the tribal people have reservations about giving tribal status to other people and the state government is trying to solve this problem", added Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was present at the Central Bishua festival held at Bongaigaon Barpara today.

Speaking at great length about the great Koch warriors Bir Chilarai and Maharaja Nara Narayan, CM Sarma said, “Bir Chilarai and Maharaja Nara Narayan were not only brave warriors but they also gave royal patronage to great saints of Assam like Shrimanta Sankardev and Mahapurush Madhavdev. For this Assam will always be grateful to him”.

Ahead of the inaugural ceremony of the Bishuwa festival, CM Sarma participated in a tea meet organized in honor of distinguished personalities in various fields at Bangalore District Circuit House on April 19 and interacted on a list of progressive ideas and aspects raised by then.

Also read : 'Deeply touched' Himanta Biswa Sarma comes forward to provide medical attention to specially-abled teenager in Assam