A Peoples’ Leader Dies: Tarun Gogoi No More!
He has been much
more than just a political leader; he has been an excellent human being with an
ever-smiling face, friendly and spontaneous manners, a typical pure Assamese flavor
in his warm communications, his deep roots in Assamese culture, his interest in
fine arts and love for all forms of music, and an endearing lovable
personality. Even in his ripe old age he used to mix with his admirers/supporters
like one of them, talking to them in a warm personal tone, singing and dancing
with them. Throughout his eventful political career, he maintained his clean
image, at times against tremendous odds. People of Assam respected him as much
as they loved him. We used to refer to him as Tarunda (like an elder
brother) in our Assamese friends’ circles, and we were all fond and proud of
him: as a leader who could articulate the state’s problems to the central
leaders and in Parliament, and as a central Minister of State (Independent Charge)
for Food under former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao. No doubt, there have been
non-stop community prayers in the whole of Assam for the last two days for his
recovery, transcending all political, ideological and religious barriers.
Tarun Gogoi had
been six-time Member of Parliament during 1971-2002, from his home constituency
Jorhat and later Kaliabor. He was made Joint Secretary of the All India Congress
Committee (AICC) in 1976 under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and later
he served as the General Secretary of AICC from 1985 to 1990 under the former
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and during this time he also worked as President
of Assam State Congress. After serving as a central Minister from 1991 to 1995
Tarun Gogoi started focusing on his home state of Assam, and contested
elections for the Assam Legislative Assembly successfully several times since
then. In May 2001 he became the Chief Minister of Assam, and then repeated
overwhelming Congress victories in 2006 and 2011 to complete his three terms.
Tarun Gogoi
suffered his first major political setback in 2014 when his party could win
only 3 seats out of 14 in Assam in the General Elections-2014. As in national
scenario anti-incumbency waves strengthened in the state and like the huge
corruption scams that rocked the Congress-led UPA government the Gogoi
government too faced charges of unprecedented corruption. Besides, he also had to
tackle growing dissidence within the state Congress party. Finally, in the Assembly
Elections of 2016 the resurgent BJP dethroned his government with an
overwhelming majority. Tarun Gogoi continued to be a prominent opposition
leader despite his age and health issues. With the decline of the Congress
party nationally, Assam Congress again had to remain content with 3 seats in
the General Elections-2019. Yet, his clean image as a peoples’ leader remained
intact notwithstanding the tremendous ups and downs, and the swings of
fortune.
Tarun Gogoi was
born in October 1934 into an ethnic Tai-Ahom family of Assam in the erstwhile
Sibsagar district. He completed his high-school and college education in
Jorhat, and then obtained an LLB degree from the Guwhati University. Gogoi started
his public career by becoming a member of the Jorhat Municipal Board in 1968,
and after that there was no looking back.
People of Assam will
sorely miss his jovial personality, his secular stand, his political jibes
laced with humor and his role as a competent political opposition leader. Assam
State Congress too is going to miss his reassuring presence, his guidance and
his statesmanship with Assembly elections due in about six months. Till August
this year the great leader had been in prime attention all around and was actively
engaged in the process of chalking out possible alliances against the BJP in
light of the growth of regional parties in Assam in recent months. Tarun Gogoi
leaves behind his wife, a daughter and son Gaurav Gogoi who has been emerging
as a promising new-generation Congress leader.
We salute an able
son of Assam and one of the greatest political leaders of the nation. As the
state government of Assam observes a three-day state mourning, we join in the
prayers for the eternal bliss of his noble soul.
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