Assam has to learn from Israel on how to survive when surrounded by enemies: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Tezpur: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that the state has to draw lessons from Israel on surviving even when surrounded by adversaries.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme to mark 'Swahid Diwas' at Jamugurihat in Sonitpur district, Sarma said Assam's boundaries were never safe.

"Historically, we have shared boundaries with Bangladesh, Myanmar, and West Bengal. We (Assamese people) are a minority in 12 districts," he said.

"We have to learn from the histories of countries like Israel how using knowledge, science and technology, and with indomitable courage, even when surrounded by enemies it has become a strong country. Only then we can survive as a 'jati' (community)," he added.

'Swahid Diwas' commemorates the death of Khargeswar Talukdar, considered the first "martyr" of the six-year-long Assam Agitation, which had ended with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985.

Addressing a programme organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuba Morcha on the occasion, Sarma said that even after nearly 40 years since the Accord, the "threat" from outsiders has not disappeared.

He claimed that while political safeguards have been ensured for the next few years through the delimitation exercise, the people must strive for economic self-reliance to keep the state from going away into the hands of "unknown people".

"We are at another crossroads now. The Assam Agitation was to safeguard the identity of the Assamese people. But we have to admit that the threat has not disappeared. Every day, demography is changing, every day indigenous people are losing land rights," he claimed.

Holding the Congress responsible for the Assamese losing their lands, he alleged that a section of people within the state were siding with the opposition party, ignoring the negative impact of its rule in the state.

"In over 12 districts, we (Assamese) are a minority. These so-called patriots of Congress, I want to ask them who they think they are emboldening by weakening our own people. They are damaging our own community, our society," the CM said.

"Patriotism doesn't end with coming to an understanding and forming a government. After forming the government, one has to fight with courage against enemies and protect the 'jati'. And we are doing it with all our might," he asserted.

Sarma said about 10,000 hectares of land, equal to the area of Chandigarh, has been cleared from encroachment in the last three years.

He said that while the political objective of the Assam Agitation was to drive out infiltrators, its economic aim was achieving financial self-reliance and the youth has the most crucial role to play in this regard.

"We have shunned away from tiling our lands, pulling our rickshaws, driving our buses. 'Achinakto' (unknown) people are doing these works and taking over our economy. The youth have to protect us against this," he said.

"Emotions cannot build a 'jati', it is built on work and 'bibek'. We have to work on becoming self-reliant. Agitation has to be in the farming field, industrial sector. Assamese people no longer support bandh, dharna, picketing, they support the 'andolan' which will force these unknown people out," Sarma asserted.

The CM maintained that the delimitation of constituencies has ensured political protection for "some years" and this time has to be used to ensure protection of cultural and economic identity.

He said the government is also working on safeguarding cultural identity.

"We will be the only state which will have a medical college and a university in every district. And we will also soon have at least one bridge over the Brahmaputra in every district it flows through," he said.