Artists Demand Reopening of Rabindra Bhawan Within 6 Months

In a show of dissent, members of the Cultural Unity Forum (Sanskritik Aikyamancha) staged a protest on Friday at the premises of Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati, demanding the reopening of the historic cultural centre.

The protestors called upon the Assam government to reopen the Rabindra Bhawan within six months, failing which they warned of intensified statewide agitations. Rabindra Bhawan, once a vibrant hub for theatre, literature, and the performing arts, has remained closed for the past three years, triggering widespread frustration among Assam’s artistic community.

The protestors held placards and shouted slogans like “Listen up, Janata Bhawan - Open Rabindra Bhawan!”

One of the protestors said, “We are all artists. We don’t want anything else. We are simply begging for the return of our Rabindra Bhawan. The government had promised to renovate and return it to the people, but it’s been three years and nothing has changed. It stands in the same neglected condition. We demand that it be repaired immediately and reopened for the artists and the public.”

“For three years now, we have been told repairs are underway or that it will reopen soon. But we see no transparency, no commitment. We demand a clear timeline,” said another protestor. 

What Assam's Cultural Affairs Minister Says

Meanwhile, responding to the mounting protests, Assam’s Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah indicated that the reopening of Rabindra Bhawan may take a minimum of two more years. He explained that a committee comprising prominent personalities from Assam’s cultural sphere had been constituted to deliberate on the Bhawan’s future.

“We had formed a committee comprising prominent figures from Assam’s cultural sphere and held extensive discussions on the future of Rabindra Bhawan. Based on their recommendations, we have instructed the PWD to reconstruct the Bhawan in a manner that aligns with the committee’s vision. This is a major civil project, and due to the nature of the concrete and structural work involved, it will take at least two more years to complete,” the minister stated.

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