Songs of Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen Garg become protest anthems in Assam

As thousands of people in Assam take to streets to voice ir opposition to amended citizenship law, old icon Bhupen Hazarika and newer idol Zubeen Garg have helped protests find a tune.

'Biswa Bijoyee Naujowan' by Hazarika is sung by people during protests against contentious Citizenship Act, besides 'Jai Aai Axom' (Glory to Mor Assam), a powerful song of state that has w become rallying cry of movement.

At a tea stall in Chandmari or a paan shop in Ganeshguri in Guwahati, people can be seen listening to Garg's famous songs like 'Maya' or 'Politics koriba Bondhu' on mobile phones. Garg, 47, who is w one of most vocal faces of movement against contentious citizenship law, says culture is a very integral part of any person's or community's identity.

"This movement is also about our Assamese identity, driven by our ancient culture and tritions, clos, food, langu and songs," Garg told PTI. "Youths and women of Assam are our major strength in this agitation against CAA. And, toger we sing songs during protests, infusing energy into each or."

While agitation in Assam against contentious law seeks its revocation, many protesters said y have joined movement because of perceived fear of Assamese culture "getting subjugated" in wake of influx of Bangleshi immigrants to state.

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"We don't want to become a cultural or linguistic mirity in our own home state. In past, Bengali langu h been imposed on Assamese, and we fear it might happen again in future," said film-maker Garima Garg. "So, this movement is also driven by an urge to safeguard our cultural legacy. And, I am happy so many youths have joined it."

"We are t being anti-Bengali, we have re Rabindranath Tagore and we even have a Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati. But, we are just worried about our own culture," she said. Garima, wife of Zubeen Garg, feels agitation against Citizenship Act has brought people of Assam, especially youth, closer to ir culture.

"Assamese have always taken pride in ir culture, from literature to cinema, clos to songs, but perhaps many h taken it for granted. "And w with mass protests, that cultural connection is really tugging at ir hearts and those who loved Assamese culture, for m bond has become stronger," she told PTI.

From Latasil playground to Chandmari grounds, two major centres of protests in Guwahati, a large number of artistes, wearing 'gamosas', have joined movement, singing songs to show dissent. Besides Gargs, several or personalities from music, arts and film fraternity, including actors Barsha Rani Bishaya, Prastuti Parashar and Nishita Goswami, and singers Krishnamoni Chutia, Dikshu and Manas Robin, have vocally supported movement and taken part in various protests.

'Jai Aai Axom' and 'Biswa Bijoyee Naujowan' were two of major songs performed by artistes on st at se venues and even in marches by Guwahati vocates recently, lawyers h sung Bhupen Hazarika classic to register ir protest against citizenship law.

Chinmoy Deka, 18, a student of B Borooah College in Guwahati, said while youth of Assam are very much aware of ir art, culture and herit, movement has "definitely augmented" kwledge about state's cultural legacy and iconic personalities. In Digholi Pukhuri, near Latasil playground, where protesters are detained, huge, iconic statues of legendary singer Hazarika, and R G Baruah, hailed as "architect of modern Assam", dot lake park.

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Ask any protester, young or old, if y kw iconic exponents like Baruah, also founder of first English daily of rast region ' Assam Tribune'  or pioneering film-maker of Assam Jyoti Pras Agarwala, poet Lakshminath Bezbaroa and playwright Phani Sarma, and he or she ds he in affirmative.

Ganeshguri flyover, which saw intense protests on December 11-12 with rings of fire lit up across its stretch by agitators, is incidentally named after legendary Assamese litterateur 'Kalaguru' Bishnu Prah Rabba.

Neighbouring Digholi Pukhuri is district library where statues of Rabba, Agarwala and Sarma majestically stand toger on its premises, with its wall carrying old slogan ' CAB' scrawled on it when legislation was being debated in Parliament.

Ganesh Das, a Guwahati local said, so much of culture of Assam gets displayed during protests, so people eir learn about it or cultural roots get reinforced in ir consciousness.

And, indeed level of consciousness for art and culture has increased in last few months, says Nilakshi Das, 17, a Class 12 student in Guwahati, as she points to a sitting statue of Assamese folk singer Pratima Barua Pandey, captured in her singing posture, near Chandmari grounds.

"We have been taught so much about legendary Assamese personalities in schools. But w when we see some statue of a person in city, we stop by to mire it and re intently writings inscribed on its plaques. Assamese pride in us has got prounced," Das said. 

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