Renaming of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College sparks outrage
The Assam cabinet’s decision to approve the proposal to rename the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College in Barpeta has sparked outrage
[The main gate of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College in Barpeta. (Inset) India's Ex-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]
Guwahati: The Assam cabinet’s decision to approve the proposal to rename the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College in Barpeta has sparked outrage.
Urging the state government to reconsider its decision, the Congress party said the decision is another testimony of the divisive politics of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had served as President of India from 1974 to 1977, and is the Assamese to have reached India’s highest constitutional post. A renowned lawyer and an alumnus of Inner Temple London, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was also a minister in the cabinet of former Assam Chief Minister Gopinath Bordoloi.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who later became the Advocate General Assam, was the Founding President of the Bar Association of the Assam High Court after its formation in 1948.
In 2011, a medical college was established in his name in Barpeta. The BJP government however has decided to drop the name ‘Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed’ from the name of the college.
“Unfortunate, Deeply Hurtful”
The BJP government’s decision has been received with backlash.
“The decision undermines the legacy of one of Assam’s most prominent figures”, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi wrote in a social media post.
He said that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was not only a respected freedom fighter but also the first Assamese to serve as the President of India.
Ahmed, who served as the fifth President of India from 1974 until his death in 1977, is remembered for his contributions to the country and for representing Assam at the highest constitutional office, Gogoi said.
“The Assam government’s decision to remove the name of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed from the Barpeta Medical College is extremely unfortunate and deeply hurtful to the sentiments of the people of Assam,” Gogoi said.
He further alleged that the move may be politically motivated and questioned whether the state government was attempting to pursue divisive politics for electoral gains.
Calling on the state government to reconsider the move, Gogoi urged the authorities to retain the name of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed for the Barpeta Medical College. He also emphasised that honouring the contributions of great personalities from Assam and preserving their legacy is the collective responsibility of the people of the state.
Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, however defended the move saying the move was taken to maintain uniformity in the naming pattern of government medical colleges across the state.
Sarma said most state-run medical colleges in Assam are named after their geographical locations, and the decision was made to bring the Barpeta institution in line with that convention.
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