Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made an unusual appeal to artists in the state. He is asking them to paint the portrait of Paresh Baruah, the head of the secessionist group ULFA (Independent), instead of the Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.
According to India Today NE, Sarma made this comment weeks after a controversy over the partial erasure of a mural of the late singer Zubeen Garg. The Chief Minister said that those who want to depict a "revolutionary" in Assam should choose Baruah over Che Guevara, arguing that the Cuban icon has no connection with the state.
Why Paresh Baruah, not Che Guevara
Sarma's statement is a direct challenge to the popular imagery of Che Guevara, which is often used in art and graffiti across India. The Chief Minister believes that Assam has its own revolutionary figure in Paresh Baruah, who has been leading the ULFA (Independent) for decades.
As reported by NH India, Sarma said: "If you want to draw a revolutionary, then draw Paresh Baruah. He has been continuing his struggle for 30 years, whether it is for good or bad is a different matter. He has to live away from his family."
The context of the Zubeen Garg mural controversy
This remark comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding a mural of the late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg. The mural, located at the Ganeshguri flyover, was partially erased, leading to public outcry. According to The Sentinel Assam, Assam Police reportedly advised artist Marshall Baruah not to repaint the mural.
Sarma's call to paint Baruah instead of Che Guevara appears to be an attempt to redirect the artistic focus towards a figure he considers more relevant to Assam's history and struggle.
Who is Paresh Baruah?
Paresh Baruah is the chairman and commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), a banned separatist group. According to Wikipedia, he was born on 15 February 1957 in Jeraigaon, Chabua, Assam. He has been leading the insurgency for over three decades, living in hiding and away from his family.
His group, ULFA (Independent), is a faction of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), which has been fighting for a sovereign Assam.
Our Take: A controversial call for local heroes
In our view, Chief Minister Sarma's suggestion is both provocative and strategic. On one hand, it is unusual for a sitting Chief Minister to praise a secessionist leader who is wanted by the law. On the other hand, Sarma is making a clear point: Assam should celebrate its own figures rather than foreign icons like Che Guevara.
However, the comparison is not straightforward. Che Guevara is a global symbol of revolution, while Paresh Baruah is a controversial figure associated with armed insurgency and violence. By asking artists to paint Baruah, Sarma is walking a fine line between promoting local identity and endorsing a figure who has been labeled a militant by the Indian government.
To put it plainly, this is a political statement aimed at reshaping the narrative of revolution in Assam. Whether artists will take up the call remains to be seen, but the debate over who qualifies as a "true revolutionary" is now firmly in the public domain.
