The Indian Express reported that a political controversy has erupted in Assam after the state government decided to rename Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta. The institution will now be called Barpeta Medical College and Hospital, a move that has triggered strong reactions from opposition parties and several organisations.
The decision was approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The state government said the renaming is part of an effort to maintain uniformity in the naming of government medical colleges in Assam.
According to the chief minister, most state-run medical colleges are named after the locations where they are situated, such as Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh and Diphu Medical College and Hospital in Diphu. The government believes that renaming the Barpeta institution would align it with this pattern and reduce confusion about its identity.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue that removing the name of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed undermines the legacy of a prominent Assamese leader. Ahmed served as the fifth President of India from 1974 to 1977 and remains the only President from Assam.
Critics have alleged that the move is politically motivated, particularly as the state prepares for upcoming elections. Some opposition leaders have accused the government of attempting to erase the contributions of notable figures from the state’s history.
Responding to the criticism, Sarma said the state government respects Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and plans to name another major institution in Assam after him to honour his legacy.
The medical college in Barpeta, established in 2011, is a key healthcare and medical education institution in lower Assam. The renaming decision has now sparked a broader debate across the state over historical recognition, political symbolism, and administrative decisions in public institutions.
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