In what might be seen as a decision that can trigger a fresh political controversy in Assam ahead of the crucial state polls next month, the state government on Tuesday announced that the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College in Barpeta will be renamed as Barpeta Medical College, a decision taken during the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said the government has also decided to establish an educational or cultural institute in honour of Assam's former President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. The proposed institute will serve as a tribute to his legacy and contributions to the nation.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the state cabinet, which approved the decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said most government medical colleges in the state are named after the places where they are located.
"All our medical colleges are named after their locations. We see that in the medical colleges in Guwahati, Dhubri, Silchar, Bongaigaon, Biswanath and Sonitpur. Somehow, the Barpeta one was named as Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital, which does not align with the naming pattern of other medical colleges," he said, news agency PTI reported.
Sarma said the cabinet decided to rename the institution to avoid confusion.
"Because of its name, many people ask whether it is a private medical college. That is why the cabinet today decided to change the name and make it Barpeta Medical College and Hospital," he said.
Sarma said the government would name another institution after former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in recognition of his stature.
"As Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was India's president and the first one from Assam, the cabinet decided that another educational or cultural institution of the same or higher stature will be named after him. We will take a decision in this regard to keep his name alive," he added, PTI reported.
Who Was Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed
Born in Delhi, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed studied in Delhi and later pursued law at Cambridge. After returning to India, he practiced law in Lahore and then in Guwahati.
He had been with the Congress since 1930. Ahmed served as the finance minister of Assam in the Gopinath Bordoloi ministry in 1939.
He became the Advocate General of Assam in 1946 and was finance minister again from 1957 to 1966 under Bimala Prasad Chaliha in Assam.
He then entered national politics. He became a Cabinet Minister under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1966 and was in charge of various central ministries, including Power, Irrigation, Industries and Agriculture.
He was elected President of India in 1974. As President, Ahmed imposed the Emergency in August 1975 and gave his assent to numerous ordinances and constitutional amendments drafted by Indira Gandhi to rule by decree. Ahmed died in February 1977 of a heart attack.
Other Key Decisions
In another key decision, the cabinet announced that Ali-Ai-Ligang, the prominent agricultural festival of the Mising community, will now be declared an official state holiday. The move is expected to recognise and celebrate the cultural heritage of the indigenous Mising community across Assam.
The cabinet also took a step to promote the state's cultural landscape by transferring the land registration of Zubeen Khetra to the Cultural Affairs Department. The cultural space is named after renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg and is expected to be developed further as a centre for cultural activities and events.
