Hope flickers for Bhupen memorial flame keeper

GUWAHATI: Assam has never compromised with anything less deserving whenever it comes to celebrating their bard Bhupen Hazarika and his 90th birth anniversary on Thursday was no exception - cheerfully spirited people flocked together to add to the gaiety of the occasion.
But, amid all the mirth and commemoration sits a gloomy face, Dulal Talukdar, the keeper of the eternal flame at Bhupen Hazarika Memorial.
For five years Dulal and his wife Mira have been zealously keeping vigil to ensure that the flame is not extinguished, not a bit tired by the monotonous regularity of the job. But their eyes look strained now as their hopes for a better life have started flickering and is on the verge of going out with no visible means of subsistence, in complete absence of government attention.
Leaders of the student organizations, fans, former ministers - the list is unending - but incomplete without the reference of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, poured into the memorial site to pay their obeisance to their own 'Bhupen Da'. Not a single sensible soul in the sea of humanity could understand or did make any effort to address Talukdar's woes and sympathize with his struggles of running from pillar to post to make his both ends meet.
The Talukdars had rested a lot of expectations on the new CM, Sarbananda Sonowal, when BJP came to power in May. Dulal even met Sonowal a month after he took charge as the new CM and submitted an application appealing him to regularize his job as the keeper of the flame with a fixed, monthly pay.
In June a letter from the CM'S office was forwarded to the minister for cultural affairs for his "kind examination and necessary action".
"I was satisfied with the cultural minister's response as he told me that he will do the needful. This happened four months ago. After the completion of 100 days of his government, he visited the memorial site and I met him once again. He came up with his usual assurance. I am still waiting for him to do the needful," said Talukdar.
Last year, too, he had appealed to the erstwhile state government, under Tarun Gogoi, for an increase in stipend. Presently, he gets a meagre sum of Rs 2,500 from Gauhati University, where the memorial site is located.
"I fervently appeal to the state government to increase my monthly stipend. I will be very grateful as I have a family to support," said Dulal.