'Truth, Non-violence, Justice': 450 Concerned Citizens of Assam pen Appeal Letter on Gandhi Jayanti

On January 30, the martyrdom day of Mohandas Gandhi, 450 concerned citizens of Assam consisting of civil society activists, writers, intellectuals, artists, and journalists signed an appeal letter. The letter urges people to reject any form of divisive politics in the country and highlights that the current regime is attempting to undermine the legacy of Gandhi. Furthermore, the letter implores fellow citizens to uphold the Gandhian principles of non-violence, truth, and justice.

Read the full letter below:

Let us uphold the principles of Gandhism!

Gandhiji was the tallest leader of the freedom movement. Finally, after years of struggle, the British had to leave the country and we gained our freedom. But, freedom came at the cost of partition of the country. The moment of the celebration of freedom was marred by widespread communal violence. At that crisis, when the leaders of the freedom movement were hoisting the Indian flag in Delhi, Gandhiji was in remote villages dousing communal violence and bringing solace to the victims of the riots. For trying to bring unity among the Hindus and Muslims Gandhiji was assassinated by a Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic with known links to rabid Hindu nationalist organisations on 30 January 1948 at Birla House, Delhi. The country was shocked. The world was shocked. But immediately the communal riots stopped. Through his martyrdom, Gandhiji brought peace to the country. Since then, India has been observing 30 January as a Martyrs Day every year in his memory. 

However, since 2014 the present regime has been tacitly trying to undermine Gandhiji and his legacy. But, we think in today's India Gandhian principles have become more relavent than before. Gandhiji was a deeply religious person and a devout Hindu. But for him the essence of religion was justice. He never compromised with the principles of truth, nonviolence and justice. Let us uphold these principles and remember Gandhiji on 30 January when the country is immersed in the gloom of divisive politics.

The signatories:

Hiren Gohain, Kulada Kumar Bhattacharya, Harekrishna Deka, Haidar Hussain, Apurba Sarma, Kulendu Pathak, Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Tapodhir Bhattacharya, Arup Kumar Dutta, Arupa Patangia Kalita, Dulal Chandra Goswami, Harapriya Barukial Borgohain, Sewali Choudhury, Jyotirmay Chakravarty, Paramananda Mahanta, Abu Naser Sayeed Ahmed, Sandhya Goswami, Prabhat Bora, Loknath Goswami, Udayaditya Bharali, Nitya Bora, Shantikam Hazarika, Lokeshwari Devi, Manorama Sarma, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, Dhirendra Nath Saikia, Dr. Taufiqur Rahman Barbara, Dr. Atwar Rahman, Saifur Rahman Saikia, Shambhu Chakraborty, Diluwar Hussain, Lakshinath Tamuli, Apurba Kumar Barua, Dinesh Baishya, Pradip Acharya, Absar Hazarika, Padmapani, Aishwarya Kakati, Nurul Islam Choudhury, Ainul Haque, Garga Talukdar, Amran Khandakar, Purneswar Nath, Bandita Goswami Saikia, Jashomoyee Devi, Kalyani Baruah, Anupama Dutta Saikia, Rani Gohain, Taren Boro, Uddhav Kakati, Kamal Narayan Choudhury, Ajit Chandra Talukdar, Deben Tamuli, Devabrata Das, Jnan Pujari, Rajen Kalita, Jiban Ch Dutta Barua, Kanak Chandra Barua, Bhaben Bez, Gyanen Barkakati, Manoj Barpujari, Rahul Dasgupta, Dwipen Kakati, Munin Bayan, Himen Bhattacharya, Hemanta Das, Mrinal Kumar Burman, Nirupa Patangia Kalita, Jiban Narah, Deben Bhattacharjya, Bijaya Rabidas, Ali Haider Laskar, Prabhat Das Panika, Kaliprasad Sarma, Abdul Waris Choudhury, Abdur Rahim Sheikh, Dr. Syed Mustaq Hussain, Sitanath Lahkar, Abdul Mannan, Abdul Chattar Choudhury, Mahendra Ahom, Robin Dutta, Indrani Dutta, Maini Mahanta, Abdul Karim Choudhury, Chenichampa Mahanta, Deepak Goswami, Ghanshyam Nath, Nalin Barthakur, Roshmi Goswami, Shibananda Kakati, Deepak Kumar Sarma, Isfaqur Rahman, AN Najmul Islam Laskar, Imran Hussain Laskar, Ruhul Amin Choudhury, Nur Mohammad, Pabitra Pran Goswami, Paresh Malakar, Samir Tanti, Paramananda Majumder, Sankar Saikia, Tapan Kumar Sarma, Sonkumar Talukdar, Bhuban Barua, Jagdish Goswami, Kumud Ranjan Das, Saponjoti Thakur, Anjali Rajkumari , Vasco D. Saikia, Samindra Huzuri, Bhupendra Barkatki, Surya Das, Kaustubhmani Saikia, Aparna Saikia, Bhaba Deka, Shamsul Barik, Arup Kumar Goswami, Bipin Bora, Dilip Kakati, Dilip Roy Choudhury, Dilip Sarma, Dhira Talukdar, Prasanta Kumar Kalita, Fakhruddin Ahmed, Kumud Barua, Moina Goswami, Devakant Handique, Anjan Goswami, Sada Sarma, Biren Deka, Gurmail Singh, Dilip Bhuyan, Rana Prasad Hazarika, Pankaj Kumar Nath, Anil Deka, Prasanta Das, Bhagawan Burman, Mahesh Burman, Dhananjay Sarma, Najibuddin Ahmed , Raju Barua, Chirajuddin Ahmed, Isfaqul Hussain, Mehbubul Hussain, Dilip Phukan, Santanu Barthakur, Pranab Saikia, Maya Sarma, Debananda Medak, Akhil Ranjan Dutta, Dwipen Bezbarua, Kulesh Sarma, Pranabjyoti Deka, Nilim Kumar, Sabita Lahkar, Sumitra Hazarika, Suparna Lahiri Barua, Niren Thakuria, Anil Kumar Choudhury, Bhabesh Bhagawati, Shamim Akhtar, Jebin Ahmed, Sourav Pran Goswami, Mukul Kalita, Bipul Deb Sarma, Mrigendra Lahkar, Bhupendra Nath Goswami, Aparajita Gogoi, Bhupen Rajbanshi, Khanin Talukdar , Tajaharul Haque, Neelima Thakuria Haque, Ratna Bharali Talukdar, Kusum Gogoi, Kishor Kumar Kalita, Dwijendra Narayan Sarma, Ripunjay Gogoi, Jeemoni Choudhury, Prabhat Das, Chandan Chutia, Nakul Talukdar, Chinmoy Bora, Pranab Talukdar, Purabi Baruah, Purabi Saikia, Ratan Pal, Mridula Sarma , Rajen Sarma, Jeevan Lama, Bhupen Saikia, Rudrasingha Matak, Rajiv Kumar Phukan, Ranjiv Barua, Gunin Choudhury, Rezaul Karim, Nripendra Kumar Barua, Jayanta Gogoi, Pranab Doley, Bhupen Barkataki, Pankaj Kumar Das, Niranjan Mahanta, Paban Saharia, Pranab Talukdar, Madhumita Choudhury, Tapan Sarma, Jili Bordoloi, Akhil Deka, Barnali Choudhury, Amitabh Choudhury, Allen Grove, Tapan Talukdar, Zakir Hussain Sarkar, Udayan Biswas, Nareswar Das, Manoranjan Goswami, Pramod Mahanta, Pulin Bhattacharjya, Rupalim Dutta, Bhupen Sarma, Rafiul Hussain, Anupama Das, Gita Devi, Barnali Baruah, Sanjiv Paul Deka, Jalad Baran Mahanta, Rashmirekha Bora, Karabi Dutta, Geetali Thakur, Nesimul Majid, Pooja Nirla, Deepankar Sarma, Kushal Dutta, Ahsan Hazarika, Pabitra Bora, Anjali Chakraborty, Binandiram Das, Khagen Kalita, Devajit Choudhury, Madhurjya Barua, Aman Wadud, Subrat Chakraborty, Rituraj Kalita, Santanu Konwar , Trilochan Gogoi, Kalyani Konwar, Baikuntha Das, Gautam Goswami, Ajit Saikia, Sabitri Saikia, Rajiv Dutta, Sailen Barkataki, Paraj Barua, Guna Kalita, Humayun Choudhury, Achyut Madhav Das, Navajyoti Bargohain, Nabajit Das, Santanu Bhattacharya, Barnali Barua Das , Bikash Bora, Milan Gogoi, Pragjyoti Gogoi, Manikankana Borbora, Tarali Sarma, Parvez Hussain, Rishikesh Barpujari, Atanu Dutta, Papu Rajowar, Kamal Nayan Mishra, Ratish Deb, Ranjan Choudhury, Arun Gogoi, Kiran Deka, Kushal Saharia, Tafsir Ali, C. Rahman, Ruma Lahkar, Kishalay Pratim, Lachit Tamuli, Nikhileshwar Barua, Mridul Kumar Bora, Ramanimohan Das, Ajit Talukdar, Dibyajyoti Sarma, Tridib Dutta, Sanjit Kumar Bardoloi, Didin Hazarika, Shankarlal Mahato, Pabitra Bharali, Pinaki Sengupta, Nirmal Chandra Gogoi , Jamini Barbarua, Pradeep Sarkar, Bidyut Kumar, Roushanara Begum, Russell Choudhury, Mojibur Rahman, Ramala Mahanta, Dulumani Saharia, Runu Kalita, Sarala Kalita, Manju Kalita, Manju Choudhury, Dipali Nath, Nripen Nath, Rahila Boro, Junuara Begum, Anwara Begum, Giribala Kalita, Bijaya Gogoi, Kalpana Rajkumar, Masaddar Hussain, Robin Sarma, Neelima Duttabarua, Jayanta Borgohain, Sarat Chandra Malakar, Dharmeswar Hazarika, Mosfika Begum, Manjira Rajkhowa, Tilendra Sonowal, Pinku Muktiar, Manoranjan Sarma, Lachit Tamuli, S Sarkar, Manoj Roy, Gitanjali Sonwal, Tilak Mohan, Pradeep Saikia, Yasmin Ara Begum, Ahsan Hazarika, Suchitra Rava Saha, Dr. Sujit Chakraborty, Dudulmani Sarma, Timkendra Bahadur Singh, Bijon Das, Dr. Begum Bilkis Banu, Gajen Kalita, Subrat Talukdar, Dr. Rekibuddin Ahmed, Dr. Hafiz Ahmed, Michir Ali Ahmed, Abdul Batin Khandakar, Imran Khandakar, Saidur Rahman, Ziauddin Manwarul Haque, Gulbadan Fatema, Golap Majumdar, Ujjal Bhowmik, Saifuddin Ahmed, Rezaul Karim, Muslim Ali, Debananda Sharma, Anisul Alam, Abdur Rahim Sheikh, Sanjeev Deb Choudhury, Ashok Kumar, Jyotsna Ali, Ramicha Begum, Narayan Devnath, Kanan Mohan Dutta, Jaigobind Saikia, Ismail Ali, Bijayalkshi Pal, Maulana Abdur Rashid, Faizul Haque, Nawaz Ahmed, Ruhul Amin, Gobin Das, Zamiruddin Talukdar Zainal Abedin, Dr. Ahizuddin Sheikh, Keramat Ali Sheikh, Abdul Salam, Amarendra Nath Sarma, Yajneswar Sarma, Ashraful Islam, Majedur Rahman, Rajat Dutta, Dr. Manoj Mirdha, Shamsul Barik, Chandralekha Rajkhowa, Adil Ahmed, Nekibul Islam, Ashraful Islam, Hasina Begum, Based Ali, Hamza Choudhury, Rishav Bashishtha, Taufiqul Hussain, Kamal Lochan Bora, Sunil Barua, Govinda Kumar Khaund, Prabin Chandra Mahanta, Ajay Borbora, Rajen Gohain, Mridula Goswami Thakur, Rituraj Goswami, Prabhat Sarma, Dilip Bordoloi, Sunil Barua, Anjan Mahanta, Gobin Bordoloi, Ajit Bordoloi, Rintumani Gogoi, Biren Bora, Parashmani Saikia, Ashok Bordoloi, Dhruba Prasad Hazarika, Dulal Dutta, Amitabh Dutta, Tazaharul Haque, Nayeb Ali, Amia Phukan Bargohain, Rashidul Haque, Zahid Ansari, Mirza Lutfar Rahman, Ashraful Alam, Aminul Islam, Zahida Khatun, Hafizul Islam, Taslima Ahmed, Zahida Hassan, Narzi Begum, Sikandar Badshah, Abdul Karim, Abdul Matin, Abul Hussain, Imdad Khan, Moinul Haque, Jyosna Sharma Bezbarua, Lakshi Saikia, Padma Saikia, Anjali Saikia, Arun Kumar Sarma, Mahesh Deka, Ranjit Bhuyan, Beni Tati Chundi, Tilak Sarma, Nur Islam Ali, Himadri Medhi, Banjit Deka, Nipon Kumar Deka, Hemanta Bora, Bani Kumar Deb Sarma, Subodh Kalita, Bridul Burman, Prashanta Thakur, Dwipen Konwar, Anju Saikia, Mridul Dihingia, Biplab Jyoti Bhuyan, Devajit Barthakur, Gautam Chetia Phukan, Alakananda Sengupta, Hiramani Goswami, Dhira Talukdar, Naba Kumar Talukdar.