Public Statement On Miyah Poetry

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A Public Statement on Identity Assertion and ‘Miyah Poetry’, Dated 27.07.2019
A large number of academicians and activists from around the world have recently
shown great support in a ‘public statement’ (dated 21 July 2019) for the ten ‘Miyah’
poets against whom an FIR was lodged for deliberately maligning the image of the
Assamese community. In the meantime, the conscious sections of the Assamese society
have strongly protested against such evil tactics of using FIR to suppress the voices of
poets. We, the signatories of this statement, condemn the use of FIRs as a punitive
action against any form of expression of emotions, values, norms, and even political
ideologies. However, we wish to draw the attention of the civil society to the fact that,
the much circulated Karwan-e-Mohabbat YouTube video of Dr. Hafiz Ahmed and other
‘Miyah poets’ carried a sub-title “Miyah poetry is a reclaiming of one’s Muslim identity”.
Therefore, Miyah poetry has also to be understood in the context of identity politics.
A reading of the ‘public statement’ of 21 July on ‘Miyah poetry’ reveals certain

contradictions and inconsistencies. In the very first paragraph of the statement, Dr Hafiz
Ahmed has been referred to as a ‘senior Miyah poet’. We would like to point out that Dr
Ahmed’s PhD thesis was on the contribution of the Bengal-origin Assamese Muslims
towards Assamese literature. The reference to this Assamese Muslim as a ‘Miyah’ poet is
unfortunate.
The public statement has also interchangeably used the terms ‘Bengali-origin
Muslims of Assam’ (2nd para) and ‘Bengal-origin Muslims of Assam’ (3rd para) (emphasis
added). It surprises us that the esteemed signatories of the public statement have
overlooked the obvious differences between the phrases ‘Bengali-origin Muslims of
Assam’ and ‘Bengal-origin Muslims of Assam’. Interestingly, in this discourse, the term
‘Assamese’ has been conveniently erased from all references made to the said poets and
their poetry, whereas the majority of the population referred to by the term ‘Miyah’ by
these signatories has been calling themselves Asomiya. Most of them have been
returning Assamese as their mother tongue in the census and are proud to be Asomiya.
Despite some serious violent incidents taking place because of the chauvinist politics of
a section that occasionally sway the Assamese masses, there has been communal
harmony between the mainstream Assamese and the Bengal-origin residents of the char
areas. The signatories have in fact themselves driven a wedge between the communities
by inserting the term Bengali.
The politics of creating divisions amongst various sections of the people of

Assam under the pretext of protesting against the atrocities on the immigrant Muslim
population settled in Assam becomes obvious from the fact that both the poetry and the
discourse sought to be constructed around it ignores the very fact that the democratic
sections of Assam have actually been making serious efforts to eradicate the
unacceptable practice of using ‘miyah’ as a derogatory term by some sections of the
people of Assam though others have been using it as a respectable form of address.
These ‘Miyah’ poets and their supporters seem to project the offensive trolls of a small
section of the wayward Assamese young boys and girls as representative of the entire
Assamese community while forgetting that the larger Assamese community, in a sense,
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has remained a warm host to all those who came to Assam in search of livelihood. There
have been instances of use of foul language by some intemperate young men and
women of the supporters of ‘Miyah poetry’ also. We need to rein in trolls of all kinds. We
believe that trolls, irrespective of language, religion and ideology, should be booked
under law so that the menace is nipped in the bud.
The last point raised in the ‘public statement’ about the timing of the controversy
and the associated vilification of the poets must be considered carefully, because the
entire discourse around ‘Miyah poetry’ began in 2016, mainly in the context of the NRC.
The people of Assam, including the leading light of this discourse, Dr Hafiz Ahmed, have
welcomed the NRC. We admit that like in most other administrative procedures of the
state of India, in the upgrading of NRC too bureaucratic manipulation and the complex
mechanism have created unbearable difficulties for the people of Assam. It is
unfortunate that instead of making the administration answerable for this, the blame
has been sought to be directed against a particular community as a whole. We draw the
attention of the signatories of the ‘public statement’ to the fact that a large number of
conscious citizens of Assam, irrespective of religion, language or community, have been
continuously protesting against any kind of discrimination that might have arisen in the
process of upgrading the NRC. The signatories below therefore appeal to all sections of
the Assamese people to maintain peace and harmony at this very crucial juncture and
desist from any such actions which will give a handle to those forces which might wish
to see the Assamese people divided on communal lines.
Signatories
1. Abdul Jalil,
Secretary, Barpeta District NGO's Forum
2. Abedur Rahman,
Writer and Social Activist.
3. Abid Azad,
Writer-Social Activist, Guwahati.
4. Ajay Talukdar,
Social Activist.
5. Alhaj Nurul Islam Laskar,
Social Activist
6. Amitava Phookan,
Poet.
7. Anamika Rajbangshi,
Research Scholar, Gauhati University.
8. Angarag Bhuyan,
Writer & Social Activist.
9. Anshuman Borah,
Assistant Professor, DR College.
10. Anupam Borah,
Social Activist.
11. Apurba Kumar Baruah,
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Retired Professor of Political Science, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and

Academic Adviser, Assam School of Journalism.
12. Arundhati Borah,
13. Azizur Rahman Choudhury,
Social Activist.
14. Bandita Das,
15. Bhaben Handique,
Convenor, Swaraj Asom.
16. Bhaskar Jyoti Nath ,
Writer and Literary Essayist.
17. Bibek Das,
Political Activist.
18. Bikash Jyoti Saikia,
Poet and Reporter.
19. Bikash Kumar Bhattacharya,
Independent Journalist.
20. Bipasha Bora,
Writer.
21. Bitupan Dawo,
22. Bonojit Hussain,
Farmer and Researcher, Formerly Research Professor, Sungkonghoe University,
South Korea.
23. Chinmoy Madhurjya Deka,
Student, Delhi University.
24. Chinmoyee Das,
Research Scholar, JNU.
25. Daisy Barman,
PhD Candidate, University of Tartu, Estonia
26. Debabrat Gogoi,
Writer and Entrepreneur.
27. Deepamoni Saikia,
Writer.
28. Dharitiri Das,
Post Doctoral Fellow, Tezpur University.
29. Dhiren Ingti,
Secretary, Tribal Sangha.
30. Dhurjjati Sarma,
Assistant Professor, Gauhati University.
31. Diganta Nibeer,
Poet.
32. Diganta Saikia,
Poet, Asst. Professor, D.R. College, Golaghat.
33. Dr. Abu M P Hussain,
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Assistant Professor, Cotton University.

34. Dr. Anup Kumar Deka,
Assistant Professor, Karmashree Hiteswar Saikia College, Guwahati.
35. Dr. Anuradha Sarma,
Associate Professor Gauhati University.
36. Dr. Arabinda Debnath,
Assistant Professor, Bineswar Brahma Engineering College, Kokrajhar.
37. Dr. Arijit Singha Hazari,
Research Associate, IIT Bombay.
38. Dr. Bindubhushan Borah,
Asst. Professor, Commerce College, Kokrajhar.
39. Dr. Binita Morang,
Assistant Professor, Tingkhang College. Dibrugarh.
40. Dr. Birinchi Kumar Das,
Principal, BHB College.
41. Dr. Debajyoti Biswas,
Assistant Professor, Bodoland University.
42. Dr. Fajlul Haque Choudhury,
President, Char-Chapari Tholua Axomiya Samaj.
43. Dr. Geeta Dutta,
Doctor, Guwahati.
44. Dr. Jyotiraj Pathak,
Associate Professor, Bodoland University.
45. Dr. Kukil Borah,
Asst. Professor, K C Das Commerce College, Guwahati.
46. Dr. Manab Medhi,
Assistant Professor, Bodoland University .
47. Dr. Manas J. Bordoloi,
Assistant Professor, Saraighat College, and Research Fellow, Firebird Foundation
for Anthropological Research, USA.
48. Dr. Manjit Das,
Associate Professor, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar.
49. Dr. Manoj Kumar Deka,
Assistant Professor, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar.
50. Dr. Mouchumi Konwer Borgohain,
Vice-Prinipal (retd.), DCB College, Jorhat.
51. Dr. Nilima Thakuria Haque,
Poet.
52. Dr. Pranab Kalita,
Entrepreneur and Social Activist.
53. Dr. Rabin Deka,
Tezpur University.
54. Dr. Sanjib Baruah,
Assistant Professor, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar.
55. Dr. Sikhamoni Sarma,
Literary and Social Activist.
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56. Dr. Vaskar Deka,

Assistant Professor, Gauhati University.
57. Engineer Zakir Hussain,
Writer & Social Activist.
58. Fajal Ali Ahmed,
Writer.
59. Girin Phukan,
Retired Professor, Dibrugarh University.
60. Haidar Hussain,
Senior Journalist, Writer and Political Analyst.
61. Hemanta Sarmah Tamuly,
62. Holiram Terang,
Ex-Minister, Assam & ASDC Leader
63. Hussain Mahammad Sahjahan,
Organiser, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti.
64. Indranil Gayan,
Poet.
65. Ismail Hossain,
Professor and Writer.
66. Jayanta Dutta,
67. Jintu Gitartha,
Poet, Cotton University.
68. Jupitara Basumatary,
Teacher, Guwahati.
69. Kaberi Patar,
70. Kamal Kumar Medhi,
Poet & Political Activist.
71. Kaushik Talukdar,
Research Fellow, IIT Bombay.
72. Kishore Kumar Kalita,
Advocate, Gauhati High Court.
73. Kowstoovmoni Saikia Dutta,
Poet.
74. Madhurjya Baruah,
Advocate, Gauhati High Court.
75. Madhusmita Baruah,
76. Madhusmita Devi,
77. Mahmud Ali,
Social Activist.
78. Manjit Mahanta,
Senior Journalist and Activist.
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79. Manoj Chakravarty,

Visual Artist (Sculptor).
80. Manorama Sharma,
Retired Professor of History, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and
Academic Adviser, Assam School of Journalism.
81. Mayuri Sharma Baruah,
Assistant Professor, Tinsukia College.
82. Mazam A. Ahmed,
Author & Columnist.
83. Mohd Rafiqul Islam,
84. Mridul Kumar Handique,
Writer & Journalist.
85. Mridusmita Dutta,
Research Scholar, Tezpur University.
86. Nabajyoti Borgohain,
Joint Executive Editor, Notun Podatik, Guwahati.
87. Nabanita Goswami,
Social Activist.
88. Nobin Buragohain,
History Writer.
89. Noihrit Gogoi,
Student, Ramjas College, University of Delhi.
90. Omar Faruque,
President, Muslim Kalyan Parishad, Assam.
91. Panchanan Hazarika,
Writer, Research Scholar, Dibrugarh University.
92. Parthapratim Choudhury,
Assistant Professor, MC College, Barpeta.
93. Peter Conder Pegu,
Author & Freelance Journalist.
94. Pragyanjyoti,
Poet.
95. Pratim Pratap Baruah,
Writer, Delhi.
96. Priyanka Kakoti,
Assistant Professor, Goalpara College.
97. Prof. Dilip Borah,
Gauhati University.
98. Prof. Gautam K. Borah,
Tezpur University.
99. Prof. K. P. Sarma,
Tezpur University.
100. Prof. Mukul Chakravarty,
Gauhati University.
101. Prof. Pallavi Deka Buzarboruah,
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Dibrugarh University.
102. Prof. Rupam Kataki,
Tezpur University.
103. Rajib Borah,
Poet & Literary Essayist.
104. Rasel Hussain,
Writer, Entrepreneur and Social Activist, Guwahati.
105. Rashmi Rekha Das,
Language Associate, ShareChat.
106. Ratul Kumar Lahon,
Poet, Assistant Professor, North Lakhimpur College.
107. Rehana Hussain,
Columnist, Artist, Guwahati.
108. Rodali Chetia,
109. Sahed Ali Ahmed,
Journalist.
110. Samujjal Saikia,
Research Scholar, Dibrugarh University.
111. Sandipan Talukdar,
Science consultant, Newsclick.
112. Sanjana Pegu,
Writer.
113. Sanjit Kumar Bordoloi,
Author and Columnist.
114. Sanjukta Chatterjee,
Assistant Professor, Raiganj University.
115. Santanu Borthakur,
Advocate , Gauhati High Court.
116. Shaheen Ahmed,
PhD Candidate, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
117. Shaidul Islam,
Writer & Columnist.
118. Shamsul Alom Bhuyan,
Writer and Social Activist.
119. Sonia Naznin,
Journalist and Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Guwahati.
120. Srishti Shreyam,
Writer.
121. Subrat Talukdar,
Political Activist.
122. Suprakash Bhuyan,
Writer.
123. Tanima Dutta,
Assistant Professor, Buniadpur Mahavidyalaya.
124. Tonmoyee Rani Neog,
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Research Scholar, JNU.

125. Trishita Shandilya,
Student, Delhi School of Economics.
126. Trishna Lekharu,
Social Activist, Guwahati.
127. Ucchajit Dasagiri Kalita,
Writer, Delhi.
128. Vipin Raj K.
Research Fellow, CSIR-NCL, Pune.
129. Yasmina Aziz,
Lecturer, Nalbari Polytechnic, Nalbari.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
This public statement has been released on 27 July 2019 at 3 pm.
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A Public Statement on Identity Assertion and ‘Miyah Poetry’, Dated 27.07.2019

A reading of the ‘public statement’ of 21 July on ‘Miyah poetry’ reveals certain

The politics of creating divisions amongst various sections of the people of

Retired Professor of Political Science, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and

Assistant Professor, Cotton University.

56. Dr. Vaskar Deka,

79. Manoj Chakravarty,

Research Scholar, JNU.

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