HT Digital
GUWAHATI, JUNE 28: Assam Cabinet Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah has generated a storm of public indignation with provocative remarks on Hemchandra Baruah, the celebrated lexicographer, reformer, and creator of Hemkosh—the first dictionary in Assamese.
His comments, which were widely considered belittling and disrespectful, have drawn condemnations from intellectuals, civil society organizations, and people from all over the state, particularly in Dergaon, the native town of the iconic scholar.
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The minister’s remarks, which have been said to disparage the ancestry and lineage of Hemchandra Baruah and his family, have offended deeply in Dergaon. Citizens there have publicly denounced the comments, charging the minister with trying to belittle a great cultural icon for political reasons. Citizens have called for an explanation and even dared the minister to come to Dergaon and learn the historical and familial origins of Hemchandra Baruah.
Citizens and cultural activists strongly stood up for the heritage of Hemchandra Baruah, underlining that Hemkosh is not just a dictionary, but a symbolic center of Assamese linguistic and intellectual identity. The book, initially published in the early 20th century, occupies a sacred position in the cultural consciousness of Assam. Numerous people consider the minister’s statement as an insult to the very identity of the Assamese nation.
Amid increasing pressure, voices from all over the state are calling for Minister Baruah to take back his words and offer a public apology. “He is not only a historic figure; he is our language, our pride. Any disrespect towards him is a disrespect to all of Assam,” opined an anxious citizen.
