Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed the birth centenary celebrations of former Chief Minister of the Assam Shri Golap Borbora, in Guwahati. Many dignitaries including Chief Minister of Assam Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Pabitra Margherita were present on the occasion.

Remembering the former Chief Minister of Assam, the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that Shri Golap Borbora translated into reality in Assam all the noble aspects of socialist ideology, the freedom movement, and the movement to safeguard democracy after independence. Referring to the quote of the famous Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna – ‘Human is for human and life is for life’ – Shri Shah said that Golap Borbora embodied this philosophy throughout his life. He said Borbora remained the voice of the oppressed and deprived, protected the sanctity of the Constitution, raised a banner against authoritarianism and corruption, and worked to awaken not only Assam’s unique identity but also the soul of India residing in Assam.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that when Golap Borbora Ji became the Chief Minister of Assam in 1978, it was the beginning of a major change in the political history of Assam. After independence, till 1978, no Chief Minister from any party other than the then ruling party had taken office in Assam. He said that Golap Borbora left an indelible mark as Chief Minister in a short tenure of just 17 months. Shri Shah said that Golap Borbora led the workers in the historic railway strike in 1974. He strongly opposed the then Prime Minister during the Emergency and Golap Borbora became the voice of Assam in the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam by a margin of just one vote — the deciding vote being that of Bhupen Hazarika, who played a crucial role in sending Borbora to the Upper House.

Shri Amit Shah said that during the rule of the main opposition party, schemes were launched, memorials built, and centenary celebrations held in the names of their own leaders. In a vast nation where diverse cultures coexist and many individuals contributed significantly to advancing the country and taking it to new heights, many such people neither received due respect nor any platform.  Our public life, he said, became narrow-minded, showing respect only to our own and not to others. Whoever came to power honored only their own party and ideology.

The Union Home Minister said that under the opposition’s rule, the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was completely ignored. Only after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had the Statue of Unity built did they remember Patel’s contribution. Shri Shah further said that until Modi Ji installed the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Kartavya Path, that great leader, revered as ‘Netaji’ by the people, had no dignified place in the corridors of Delhi’s power. Similarly, Gopinath Bordoloi was awarded the Bharat Ratna only when the opposition party was not in power — despite Bordoloi himself belonging to that party.

Shri Amit Shah said that Golap Borbora Ji had no connection with the ideology of his party, but whoever did good work in public life by rising above party politics and self-interest, his contribution should always be made known to the youth of the state and the country. He appreciated that the Assam government has done this noble work.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that qualities like patriotism, socialism and sensitivity towards the poor did not come to Golap Borbora by chance. Shri Shah said that Golap Borbora, the third generation of Komol Borbora, who led Assam's first industrial strike, dedicated his entire life to the progress of the workers, poor and backward people of Assam and the country by following socialist principles. From 1950 to 1960, Golap Borbora emerged as a key face of Assam's socialist movement. Golap Borbora clearly said that Northeast India is not outside the country, but is an integral part of nation’s heart. During the Emergency, he was among the first to be imprisoned and the last to be released, spending a total of 19 months in jail. After independence, he was jailed nine times.

Shri Amit Shah said that Golap Borbora Ji, in his short tenure as Chief Minister, took decisions that will be remembered by the people of Assam for years. He made education up to 10th standard free in Assam and established more than 200 educational institutions in a year. Shri Shah said that Golap Borbora Ji permanently waived off the land tax of all those farmers who had land up to 10 bighas. He also opened tea garden farming for farmers by bringing the policy of small tea gardens. For the first time, he established the Banking Services Recruitment Board and the Railway Recruitment Board in Assam, thereby introducing skill-based employment opportunities in the state. 

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said he firmly believes that not a single infiltrator should remain in this country. He said that Golap Borbora was the first to raise awareness against infiltration in Assam by cleansing the electoral rolls. During his tenure as Chief Minister, voter lists were scrutinized, and despite limited resources and the absence of computerization, Borbora succeeded in removing 36,780 illegal infiltrators from the rolls. He said that if one were to trace the roots of the Assam Movement, they would find them in this voter list purification.

Shri Amit Shah said that today, the Election Commission is carrying out purification of electoral rolls through Special Intensive Revision (SIR), but some political parties are taking out marches in defense of infiltrators. He said that a country’s voter list is the heart of democracy, and foreign nationals should find no place in it. Sadly, moral decline in public life has grown to such an extent that, for the sake of vote-bank politics and capturing power at any cost, removal of infiltrators from voter lists is opposed. If Golap Borbora were alive today, he would certainly have opposed this.

Union Home Minister praised the Assam Government for freeing 1.26 lakh acres of land from infiltrators. He said that not only Kaziranga’s forests and wildlife areas were freed from encroachment, but also thousands of acres of land associated with saints Shankaradeva and Madhavdeva were reclaimed. He added that on 15th August 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced the formation of a High-Power Demographic Changes Mission based on Golap Borbora’s principles. This mission will study demographic changes across the country, identify infiltrators, and work toward making the nation free of illegal infiltration. He commended Assam Government’s drive against encroachment, citing recovery of 49,500 bighas in Sonitpur, 17,095 bighas in Darrang, 13,438 bighas in Lakhimpur, 10,749 bighas in Hojai, and 8,280 bighas in Goalpara. He asserted that the resolve to make Assam and the entire country free of infiltrators will surely be achieved, and no better occasion than Golap Borbora’s centenary year could mark this commitment.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the Assam Government has named an important rural development institution after Golap Borbora. He added that spreading awareness of Borbora’s life, work, and ideas in every tehsil and district throughout the year will undoubtedly brighten Assam’s future.

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