A forum representing veterans of the Assam Movement has urged the state government to provide financial assistance and government employment to the families of individuals who were allegedly tortured and imprisoned during the six-year-long agitation.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Assam Movement Comrades’ Forum, Golaghat district committee, said while the government has extended support to families of martyrs and those whose houses were burnt during the movement, several victims who suffered custodial torture and long periods of incarceration continue to remain excluded from official rehabilitation measures.
The forum’s president, Rana Kalita, and acting general secretary, Banshi Mahanta, said many activists endured severe physical and mental trauma after being detained by police and paramilitary forces during the agitation between 1979 and 1985. “A large number of people sacrificed their youth and livelihood for the cause of protecting Assamese identity. Their suffering has not yet been adequately recognised,” the leaders said.
The forum demanded a one-time financial grant for all families of those who were tortured and jailed during the movement and sought reservation of government jobs for their sons and daughters. It suggested that eligibility be determined through certification by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) along with documentary proof of imprisonment.
In addition, the forum appealed for concessional railway travel facilities for veterans of the Assam Movement, particularly for pilgrimage and medical travel, as a mark of recognition for their contribution to the historic agitation.
The Assam Movement, led by student and civil society organisations, culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. While successive governments have announced compensation and benefits for martyrs and affected families, demands for broader recognition and rehabilitation of all categories of victims have continued over the years.
There was no immediate response from the state government to the forum’s demands. However, the issue is expected to add to the ongoing discourse on justice, rehabilitation and official acknowledgement of those who bore the brunt of the Assam Movement.
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