India News | Cong, AJP Blames Assam Govt for 'failing to Protect Heritage' Structure Mahafezkhana

Guwahati, Apr 1 (PTI) Opposition parties on Tuesday questioned the demolition of one of Assam's oldest surviving concrete structure, 'Mahafezkhana' (record room), on the banks of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati, blaming the BJP-led government for "failing to protect heritage" of the state.

Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress urged for the governor's intervention to prevent such structures from being taken down in the future, while Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) questioned if public opinion was sought before demolishing the record room.

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Believed to have come up after 1855, the Mahafezkhana has been reportedly demolished as part of the Brahmaputra riverfront beautification project by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

The dismantling had sparked an outcry among the people of the city, with many citizens criticising the government for "not protecting" the historic structure.

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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had defended the government's action and maintained that it was a 'symbol of gulami' (slavery) and "not an archaeological site".

The Mahafezkhana finds mention in a coffee table book, 'Forever Guwahati', published by the GMDA in 2014.

"With 20-inch thick walls, it was one of two structures in the city that withstood the 1897 earthquake. The 86ft by 77ft record room served as a ready archive, containing maps, administrative orders and all kinds of land records," it said.

Saikia, in a letter to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, urged for prevention of demolition of heritage buildings and enforcement of the Assam Heritage (Tangible) Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Maintenance Act, 2020.

He claimed that the demolition of Mahafezkhana was in "direct violation" of the Act, which was enacted under the BJP government.

The Congress leader urged Acharya to direct all concerned authorities to halt any further actions that violate the Assam Heritage Act, 2020, and initiate a thorough inquiry into the circumstances leading to the demolition.

"I hope that you will take urgent necessary steps to protect Assam's legacy for generations to come," Saikia added.

Congress members also staged a protest in Panbazar area, where the Mahafezkhana was situated, and demanded that the government protect all heritage structures.

"We demand to know why our heritage buildings and sites are not being protected. With whose permission did the authorities demolish the Mahafezkhana?" questioned Congress spokesperson Bedabrata Bora, taking part in the protest.

"The people are strongly objecting to this attempt to erase our history and heritage. The government should take steps to protect our heritage," he added.

AJP general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan questioned the need for demolition of the structure, among the first concrete buildings in the entire state.

He maintained the Mahafezkhana had significance on various grounds, including historical value and engineering technology having withstood two major earthquakes of 1897 and 1950.

Bhuyan said the structure could have been integrated with the beautification project and used to house historical relics and records.

He maintained that the government should have taken the opinion of the public before going ahead with the step of demolishing it.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)