ASsam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent statement that Muslim warrior Bagh Hazarika alias Ismail Siddiqui did not exist has not gone down well with the people of the state, especially its indigenous Muslim population. Hazarika is known to have fought against the Mughals along with the great Ahom general Lachit Borphukan in the Battle of Saraighat.
This unnecessary controversy has been brought by the CM at a time when the state is celebrating 400th Birth Anniversary of Ahom Gen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Jubilee celebrations on 24 November 2022 and Said, “He (Borphukan) was the epitome of unparalleled courage. He kept the welfare of the people above everything else and was a just and visionary leader.
A three-day event was organized at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan in memory of the 17th century Ahom commander. It was an attempt to highlight Modi as well as the unsung heroes of the BJP, especially from the Northeast. The BJP strongly feels that Indian history has been distorted by the old Congress party and left-leaning intellectuals, due to which many great people of the country have not got their rightful place in the history of India.
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The agenda behind the praise of unsung heroes
There is no denying the fact that the present government is making concerted efforts to highlight the contribution of the Northeast in India’s fight against the British rule, the invading Mughals, etc. Prominent personalities whom the government has tried to bring into limelight include Rani Gaidinliu. (a freedom fighter belonging to the Rongmei Naga tribe) and Major Bob Khathing (Indian Army officer who was the first person to hoist the tricolor at Tawang on 14 February 1951) among others.
However, with the government’s efforts to highlight the unsung heroes, there appears to be an underlying agenda to downplay the role of Muslims in nation building. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement that there was no Muslim warrior fighting side by side with Lachit Borphukan is probably a part of this campaign. The Chief Minister said that Bagh Hazarika was a fictional character and added that another person by the name of Nar Hazarika (an Ahom) was with Lachit Borphukan in the Battle of Saraighat.
great ahom general
The people of Assam have grown up reading about the heroic deeds of Lachit Borphukan. He is revered by everyone in the state irrespective of religion, caste or language. The Ahoms ruled Assam for 600 years (1228 AD to 1826 AD). They had entered India from the then Shan State (now part of Myanmar), crossed the Irrawaddy River and established their kingdom at Sivasagar. They subjugated all the other small kingdoms of the kingdom and in the process the Ahoms subjugated all the tribes. The great Ahom army included not only Ahoms but also other smaller ethnic and religious groups like Marans, Mattaks, Kochs, Chutiyas, Muslims etc.
Unlike Maratha warrior Shivaji or Rajput warrior Rana Pratap Singh, who are famous all over the country, Lachit Borphukan is known only in Assam. The credit must be given to the late Lt Gen SK Sinha, former governor of Assam, who sought and introduced recognition for Borphukan in 1999. flexible award For the most outstanding cadet passed out from the National Defense Academy.
Lachit Borphukan is revered not only for defeating the Mughal army but also for his exceptional loyalty to the Ahom kingdom. Borphukan killed his uncle, who failed to build the rampart within the stipulated time frame and made flimsy excuses. The ramparts had to be built immediately to prevent the invading Mughal army from crossing the mighty Brahmaputra river. When his uncle failed to meet the deadline, Borphukan beheaded him with his sword in front of everyone. This incident of beheading his uncle for disobedience created fear among the soldiers and the rampart was completed overnight. The great naval warrior Lachit Borphukan harnessed the Brahmaputra river to crush the invading Mughal army.
The efforts of the Central and State Governments are being appreciated to make the country aware of the heroic deeds of Borphukan. But it appears to be a covert intention to systematically erase the contribution of Muslims from the public mind. The valor of Bagh Hazarika has been well documented in Assamese history books written by eminent historians. Renowned historian SK Bhuiyan on page 229 of his book The Annals of Delhi Badshahate (published in 1825) wrote, “the Mohammedan commander Bagh Hazarika whose military genius was partly responsible for the success of the Lachit Borphukan operation against Ram Singh.” Ram Singh led the army of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Similar views are documented by other famous historians.
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Sivasagar Gardens Hazarika
Bagh Hazarika’s original name is Ismail Siddiqui, he belonged to a small village near Sivasagar. In his youth, he had killed a tiger which was wreaking havoc in the village. people started calling him Garden (Assamese word for Tiger). The then king of Assam, Chakradhwaj Singha was so impressed by these heroic deeds that Ismail Siddiqui was made the commander of 1,000 soldiers.thousand means thousand). Thus, it came to be known as Bagh Hazarika. Therefore, it is difficult to fathom what could have interested historians, even Hindu historians, in creating an imaginary Muslim warrior brought in by the Chief Minister of Assam.
The state’s indigenous Muslim population, numbering about four million, is part and parcel of the larger Assamese society. His contribution to every aspect of Assam cannot be underestimated, and he is unhappy that the CM is making such a statement at a time when the Hindu-Muslim divide is on the rise.
Eminent Assamese litterateur Abu Nasar Sayeed Ahmed said the best the government can do is assign a university or research institute to conduct a detailed study and find out the truth.
Four centuries after the valor of Bagh Hazarika, the people of Assam are of the opinion that what difference does it make whether Bagh Hazarika is there or not at this juncture? The people of Assam should be proud that their army defeated the mighty Mughal army in the Battle of Saraighat and after that the Mughal kings of Delhi did not dare to look at Assam again.
Brigadier Ranjit Borthakur has made several important field and staff appointments. He has worked extensively in the counter insurgency environment in the North East as well as in J&K.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)