GUWAHATI: A Sukapha statue will be built at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati to honour the Tai Ahom ruler Chaolung Sukapha, the Assam government announced on Sunday, September 26. State Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma made the announcement during a meeting with the Tai Ahom Community at Assam Administrative Staff College in Khanapara.
CM Sarma said that the Assam government is planning to turn the Sukapha Samannway Kshetra at Jorhat into a top tourist attraction. All work related to the project would be completed within two years, he informed.
In addition, a Tai Museum at Joysagar and Joymoti Museum at Rang Ghar premises in Sivasagar would be built. He said that all worship places of Ahoms will be preserved and developed under the Asom Darshan scheme. CM Sarma assured that the Ahoms will be accorded with "protected class status in tribal blocks and belts".
Moreover, the CM said that a new Tai Language Teaching Centre is going to be set up in the State for sustaining and popularising the language. He also said that the proposal of setting up 'Swargadeo Sukapha Unversity' would be considered as well by the state government.
CM Sarma added that a Rs 125 crore commitment to Tai Ahom Development Council would be released by November 30, 2021. He urged for utilisation of the fund for the preservation of lesser-known historic sites and monuments of the community.
For ST (Scheduled Tribes) status, the CM urged the Tai Ahom organisations and Tribal Sangha members to sit in a discussion to sort out issues for moving forward.
"All indigenous communities must remain united to protect Sukapha’s Assam from infiltrators," CM Sarma said.
The meeting was attended by the Tai Ahom Community representatives including members of All Tai Ahom Students’ Union, Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad Assam, Purbanchal Tai Sahitya Sabha, All Assam Ahom Sabha, Mohan Deudhai Bilung Sanmilan to deliberate on issues concerning the community.