Assam Movement Immortalised in New Memorial, Sarbananda Sonowal Says Its Spirit Lives On

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said that the historic Assam Movement has been immortalised through the newly inaugurated ‘Shaheed Smarak Kshetra and Park’ in West Boragaon, Guwahati and that its spirit continues to guide Assam in its enduring pledge to safeguard identity, culture, and existence. The foundation stone for the memorial was laid on December 10, 2019, followed by land consecration on December 10, 2020, and today, on the occasion of Shaheed Divas, the project was formally inaugurated. Sarbananda Sonowal, accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, dedicated the memorial site to the public and paid floral tributes to the martyrs of the Assam Movement.

Sonowal said the unparalleled sacrifice and courage of the martyrs would forever inspire generations to contribute meaningfully to the journey of nation-building while safeguarding land, language, culture, and identity. The ceremony saw the presence of state ministers Atul Bora, Chandramohan Patowary, Keshab Mahanta, and Pijush Hazarika, Member of Parliament Bijuli Kalita Medhi, several MLAs, families of martyrs, and distinguished citizens.

Addressing a large public gathering, the Union Minister said the Assam Movement was a historic mass struggle to protect language, culture, identity, and existence. Sonowal added that the Movement united the greater Assamese society under a national cause, and its spirit lives on today as an unending pledge to safeguard identity and existence. He paid homage to the 860 martyrs who laid down their lives and remembered the many others who endured persecution during the struggle.

Sarbananda Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken decisive steps to curb illegal infiltration—an issue that lay at the heart of the Assam Movement and posed a direct threat to India’s sovereignty and Assam’s demographic identity. Sonowal recalled his visit in September 2016 to the India–Bangladesh border at South Salmara–Mankachar with AASU leaders, MLAs, and senior officials, undertaken under the Prime Minister’s guidance to assess border conditions firsthand. He referred to key initiatives taken around the same time, including the provision of one-time financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to families of martyrs in December 2016, and ₹2 lakh each to those injured or persecuted during the Movement, announced in March 2019. He also highlighted the successful completion of the memorial project initiated in 2019, the inauguration of Bold-QIT smart fencing technology at the India–Bangladesh border in Dhubri in March 2019, and the government’s efforts to seal 272 km of the unfenced border once Prime Minister Modi assumed office. Further, he mentioned the formation of a High-Level Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Biplab Kumar Sarma to examine measures for the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which submitted its report in February 2020.

“The Assam Movement is not just a historical chapter; it is the consciousness of identity and rights,” Sarbananda Sonowal said. “With deep commitment to its sentiment, we are determined to build a new, secure, and developed Assam. The legacy of the Movement will remain far-reaching in safeguarding national unity, integrity, and the future of the state.”