Biswanath: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (March 14) assured that the government is committed to protecting the honour of Assam and said that honouring Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna is a symbol of our respect and reverence for the state. 


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"We are committed to protecting the honour of this land of Assam. This was the reason that we gave the title of ‘Bharat Ratna’ to the country's highest civilian award to the music emperor, Dr Bhupen Hazarika. Honouring Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna is a symbol of our respect and reverence for Assam," said Singh while addressing a rally at Biswanath. 


Recipient of Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Asom Ratna, Bhupen Hazarika was a popular Indian playback singer from Assam. "Originated from the word ‘Asom’, there is no other state like Assam. This is the holy land of Mata Kamakhya Devi and Brahmaputra," the Defense Minister said. 


"I feel honoured to arrive at the land of Lachit Borphukan. Very few people are aware that the Borphukan trophy is given to the best cadet who goes to the army at the National Defense Academy in Khadakwasla near Pune," said Singh. 


"The promptness shown, under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic here did not majorly affect India, including Assam. While many big countries collapsed in this epidemic," the Defense Minister said.


Later today, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will reach Gohpur in Assam to address another rally. The term of the 14th Legislative Assembly of Assam is up to May 31, 2021. The Assembly elections for 126 seats will be held in three phases starting from March 27. In 2016 Assembly polls were held in two phases.


A total of 2,32,44,454 electors will elect the candidates in Assam for the 15th Legislative Assembly of Assam. Of the 126 seats, the number of reserved seats for SCs is eight and for STs, it is 16. The number of polling booths in Assam has been increased from 24,890 to 33,530, an increase of 35.71 per cent.


In Assam, elections shall be held in three phases. The first phase of notification is March 2 and 47 seats in 12 districts will go to the polls. The last date of nomination March 9 and the date of poll is March 27. In the second phase, 39 constituencies in 13 districts will go to the polls on April 1. A total of 41 constituencies in 12 districts will go to the polls on April 6.


In 2016, the BJP scripted history and formed the government for the first time in the state ending Congress’s 15-year rule. BJP and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) won a combined 86 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly. BJP bagged 60 seats, AGP 14 and BPF 12 seats. Congress, which ran the state for three straight terms under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi, could manage to win only 26 seats.