The Gauhati University and University Law College units of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) commenced a 12-hour hunger strike today, December 15, starting at 6 am, to demand the immediate reconstruction of the historic Shaheed Bedi (Martyrs’ Memorial) located on the university campus. This powerful symbol of the Assam Movement has been in a dilapidated and abandoned state since its collapse during a severe storm on May 27, 2024, an issue that has sparked widespread concern among the student body and alumni. Students allege that despite numerous formal and informal appeals to the university authorities, the critical reconstruction project has seen no tangible progress.
AASU leaders highlighted that the issue has persisted without resolution even as the university welcomed two new Vice-Chancellors and simultaneously undertook several other development projects across the campus. The student organization stressed that while assurances for the memorial’s repair were repeatedly offered, the prolonged neglect reflects a significant lack of commitment to preserving the institution’s historical legacy. The hunger strike, according to a statement released by the student body, is a protest against the continued administrative delay and a call for urgent action, with the goal of drawing public attention and strengthening the collective effort to protect the vital historical symbol.
In a seemingly direct response to the public announcement of the student agitation, the university administration declared that the foundation stone for the Shaheed Bedi’s reconstruction would be laid on the very same day. Although laying a foundation stone for what is essentially a repair project is considered an unusual procedural step, the students viewed the announcement as a positive development, indicating a shift from bureaucratic processes to actual on-the-ground implementation of the project.
Nevertheless, the student union remains cautious, asserting that this symbolic gesture must be promptly followed by swift and concrete action. AASU has urged the university authorities to ensure that the reconstruction work begins without delay and is completed immediately, emphasizing that any further postponement will leave the organization with no choice but to intensify its current agitation.
