>Arunudoy at 01:02, 12 January 2022

2022-01-12T01:02:58Z

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{{Short description|ULFA Rebel}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rajen Sharma
| birth_name = Rajendra Kumar Sharma
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1965|12|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bahjani, [[Nalbari]], [[Assam]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1989|10|8|1965|12|28|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Nalbari]]
| death_cause = Lynched by Mob
| alias = Uddipta Hazarika
| criminal_charge = Revolution against Indian Federation
| criminal_penalty = None (as dead)
| alma_mater = [[Cotton College]]
| occupation =
| known_for = Asssamese poem মোৰ ৰক্তবৰ্ণ প্ৰতিজ্ঞা
| parents = Kiranbala Devi (Mother) <br /> Nripendra Nath Sharma (Father)
}}

'''Rajen Sharma''' ([[Assamese language|Assamese]]: ('''ৰাজেন শৰ্মা''')) alias '''Uddipta Hazarika''' ([[Assamese language|Assamese]]: ('''উদ্দীপ্ত হাজৰিকা''')) (real name '''Rajendra Kumar Sharma''') was the first Publicity Secretary, and one of founding members of the banned militant outfit [[United Liberation Front of Asom]] ([[United Liberation Front of Asom|ULFA]]), and a Poet. He was popularly known as Uddipta Hazarika than his real name.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kashyap|first=Samudra Gupta|date=18 April 2014|title=In ULFA’s former bastion rises new opportunity|work=[[The Indian Express]]|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/in-ulfas-former-bastion-rises-new-opportunity/|access-date=27 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mahanta|first=Nani Gopal|title=Confronting the State: ULFA's Quest for Sovereignty|publisher=[[SAGE Publications]]|year=2013|isbn=9788132113270|pages=59|language=English}}</ref>

==Early Life==

Rajen Sharma was born to a teacher family and had a good academic background. After passing [[HSLC]], Rajen Sharma studied at the noted [[Cotton College]] in [[Guwahati]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 February 2013|title=ULFA leader Rashmita Asom alias Jahnabi Mahanta Rajkonwar passes away|work=Times of Assam|url=https://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/ulfa-leader-rashmita-asom-alias-jahnabi-mahanta-rajkonwar-passes-away/|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> However, he didn't complete his study and joined the militant outfit.
==Militancy Life==

Rajen Sharma joined the ULFA in early 80s and became the first Publicity Secretary of the outfit. Joining the outfit, Rajen Sharma adopted his organizational name as Uddipta Hazarika. As the ULFA's ideologue, several motivated youths joined the outfit under the leadership of Uddipta Hazarika.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Nitin Anant|title=The Hot Brew: The Assam Tea Industry's Most Turbulent Decade, 1987-1997|publisher=[[Spectrum Publications]]|year=1998|isbn=9788185319827|pages=19|language=English}}</ref>

==As Publicity Secretary of ULFA==
As the Publicity Secretary of the ULFA, Uddipta Hazarika was very vocal with his writings in newspapers and pamphlets. Sharma published all pamphlets and the outfit's mouthpiece "Swadhinata" on behalf of the outfit.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Misra|first=Udayon|title=The Periphery Strikes Back: Challenges to the Nation-state in Assam and Nagaland|publisher=[[Indian Institute of Advanced Study]]|year=2000|isbn=9788185952741|pages=141|language=English}}</ref> Uddipta Hazarika also published ULFA's propaganda magazine "Bixex Prachar Patrika. Doi-Kaun-Rang", which is still a resource for writers.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gogoi|first=Dilip|title=Unheeded Hinterland: Identity and Sovereignty in Northeast India|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|year=2016|isbn=9781317329213|pages=69}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Das|first=Samir Kumar|title=United Liberation Front of Assam: a Political Analysis|publisher=Ajanta Publications|year=1994|isbn=9788120204072|pages=95}}</ref>

==Life as a Poet==
In the period of his militancy life, Rajen Sharma wrote several poems. After his death, Kiranbala Devi, his mother, compiled and published a book named '''Mor Roktoborno Protigyaa''' (Asssamese: মোৰ ৰক্তবৰ্ণ প্ৰতিজ্ঞা) which was and is still popular in Assam. Noted Assamese actor [[Tapan Das]] recited the poems of Rajen Sharma.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rakta Borna Protigya (ৰক্তবৰ্ণ প্ৰতিজ্ঞা) Poem of Uddipta Hazarika alias Rajen Sharma|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1yi8FE8ZqA|url-status=live|access-date=10 January 2022|website=[[Youtube]]}}</ref>

== Death ==
On 8th October 2019, Rajen Sharma was lynched by a mob after he and his mate Hitesh Kalita alias Raju Baruah entered the house of Nemi Chand Jain, in front of the Nalbari Hari Mandir.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 December 2003|title=Voice of Ulfa caught in Bhutan net - Shroud of secrecy over evacuation of injured Bhutanese soldiers to army base in Guwahati|work=[[The Telegraph (India)]]|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/voice-of-ulfa-caught-in-bhutan-net-shroud-of-secrecy-over-evacuation-of-injured-bhutanese-soldiers-to-army-base-in-guwahati/cid/784349|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Shah|first=O.P.|title=Parlance: Volume 13|publisher=[[University of Virginia]]|year=1989|pages=24}}</ref> There was some gunfight and after the incident, Sampat Jain, Mulchand Jain, Satish Tamuli, Rajkumar Sharmah and Rajen Sharma were killed in that incident.<ref>{{Cite web|date=31 August 2015|title=In the Court of Judge: Designated Court, Assam|url=https://kamrupjudiciary.gov.in//august-15%20jdgmnt/31.8.15-spcl-350%20of%2091.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> Many of his poetry followers came out with late Sharma's poem.<ref>{{Cite web|title=মোৰ ৰক্তবৰ্ণ প্ৰতিজ্ঞা " কবি: ৰাজেন শৰ্মা ( উদ্দীপ্ত হাজৰিকা)|url=https://www.facebook.com/Radiorodali/videos/1411082022624527/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110104212/https://www.facebook.com/Radiorodali/videos/1411082022624527/|archive-date=10 January 2022|access-date=10 January 2022|website=[[Youtube]]}}</ref>

On Rajen Sharma's death, the outfit ULFA held a public condolence meeting in the native village of Sharma, where he was offered organizational condolences with flag hosting and blank firing.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ahmed|first=Farzand|date=31 March 1980|title=Extremist guerrilla organisation ULFA runs parallel govt in Assam with ominous implications|work=[[India Today]]|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19900331-extremist-guerrilla-organisation-ulfa-runs-parallel-govt-in-assam-with-ominous-implications-813771-1990-03-31|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref> The district unit of [[All Assam Students' Union]] (AASU) called a "bandh" (closure for 24 hours) on the very next day in protest of the killing of Rajen Sharma.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=মোৰ ৰক্তবৰ্ণ প্ৰতিজ্ঞা (Mor roktoborno protigya)assamese poem recitation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi44qXmu_1M|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110104344/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi44qXmu_1M|archive-date=10 January 2022|access-date=10 January 2022|website=[[Youtube]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Rajen}}

[[Category:Cotton College, Guwahati alumni]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:ULFA members]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Nalbari]]
[[Category:Assamese nationalism]]
[[Category:Nalbari district]]
[[Category:Assamese people]]

Rajen Sharma - Revision history

>Arunudoy at 01:02, 12 January 2022