52 Facts About Hiteswar Saikia

Hiteswar Saikia was an Indian politician who served as the 10th chief minister of Assam for two terms, firstly from 28 February 1983 to 23 December 1985 and then from 30 June 1991 to 22 April 1996.

Hiteswar Saikia was the 1st Governor of Mizoram from 1987 to 1989 and the 6th Lieutenant Governor of Mizoram from 1986 to 1987.

Hiteswar Saikia was the education minister in the Government of Assam from and from 1980 to 1981 and again from 1982 to 1982.

Hiteswar Saikia was the Minister of State for Home, Education And public relations from 1972 to 1974 and the minister of Home from 1974 to 1978.

Hiteswar Saikia represented the Nazira constituency in the Assam Legislative Assembly from 1972 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1996.

Hiteswar Saikia was born on 3 October 1934 at Bogabagh Tea Estate to Haladhar Saikia in a Ahom family.

From his childhood, Saikia was drawn to the non-cooperative movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.

Hiteswar Saikia's father influenced his career at almost all the turning points of his early life.

Hiteswar Saikia joined the 'All India Congress Committee' on 15 August 1964.

Hiteswar Saikia became a very popular figure and contested the Assembly election from his home constituency at Nazira, a small township situated near the ancient capital of the Ahom kings at Gargaon in the district of Sivasagar, Assam.

Hiteswar Saikia was given a junior rank as a minister of state and was given the three portfolios of Home, Education and Public relations in 1972.

Just a few months before the withdrawal of the President's rule in Assam, Hiteswar Saikia parted ways with Sarat Chandra Sinha and he joined Congress in 1980.

Hiteswar Saikia was sounded out as to his taking the leadership of the party on several occasions and declined.

Hiteswar Saikia introduced far reaching changes in Assam's field of education.

Hiteswar Saikia made liberal grants available towards the appointment of many teachers in language subjects.

Hiteswar Saikia made far-reaching changes towards raising the status of police officers and of ordinary constables.

Hiteswar Saikia revamped the department, ridding it of the hangovers of the British regime, transforming it into a battalion of uniformed persons who are sentinels of law.

Hiteswar Saikia established the Forensic Laboratory at Guwahati, the capital of Assam and set up the 'single digit fingerprint bureau'.

Hiteswar Saikia turned his attention toward bifurcating the Criminal Intelligence Department and creating a Special Branch of it to be run independently.

Hiteswar Saikia then improved the functioning of the 'Assam Police Radio Organization' by modernising its equipment.

When Hiteswar Saikia came back from Mizoram to play his role in Assam politics, he was picked up as the President of the APCC by Rajiv Gandhi.

Hiteswar Saikia meant sending the opposite team of Asom Gana Parishad, which entered into the phase of tail enders' game.

Hiteswar Saikia did everything with concentration on details in respect of every single constituency.

Hiteswar Saikia was doubly sure of the victory of Congress.

Hiteswar Saikia waited to disclose the anticipation of a resounding victory till the arrival of Rajiv Gandhi who was to visit Assam for releasing the Congress election manifesto.

Rajiv Gandhi was fully convinced with the strategies of Hiteswar Saikia and gave him all the responsibility of electioneering in the entire State.

Hiteswar Saikia undertook extensive tour of the villages rather than towns and near cities.

Hiteswar Saikia knew that Indian villages represent all important vote banks.

Hiteswar Saikia was elected from his home constituency for the fifth consecutive term.

In such a situation, Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia made an offer of general amnesty and by way of touching wood, he went to the extent of releasing a good number of ULFA detenus against whom there were no specific charges.

Meanwhile, Hiteswar Saikia managed to find out some go-between persons who enjoyed the confidence of the ULFA leaders.

Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia took an off the track decision to declare giving effect to the idea of granting general amnesty unilaterally expecting the same to be reciprocated by the ULFA with immediate release of the hostages.

Hiteswar Saikia went on air on 8 July 1991, offering the proposal of holding a meaningful talk with the militant organisation towards a permanent solution of the problem within the framework of the Indian constitution.

CM Hiteswar Saikia had been compelled to look for measures in both nature and approach.

Hiteswar Saikia called for assistance of the Army for the restoration of peace and order in the State.

Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia welcomed the change of mood and responded to it richly.

Everyone acknowledge the spirit of tolerance and forgiveness displayed by Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia in bringing round most of the ULFA militants to the path of sanity.

Hiteswar Saikia took steps towards getting the business in the form of auction market opened at Guwahati.

Hiteswar Saikia invited the Prime Minister to lay the foundation stone of the Numaligarh refinery on 3 July 1992.

Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia offering the argument of the necessity of opening up of two Universities simultaneously at Tezpur and Silchar.

Hiteswar Saikia went to Delhi and returned with the approval and necessary sanction for starting both the two universities.

Hiteswar Saikia is every inch of practical politician to the last tip of his fingers.

In 1983 Hiteswar Saikia became Chief Minister for the first time as opposition boycotted the polls.

Hiteswar Saikia made them meet together and apportioned duties to all the ministers for going to various troubled areas towards personally supervising relief operations assessing the situations thereat.

Hiteswar Saikia felt that Saikia was the man who could fulfill the task at any cost.

Hiteswar Saikia drew up a blue print of his own guidance and for his ministerial colleagues to take the necessary cue.

Hiteswar Saikia allegedly orchestrated a number of "surrenders" of ULFA operatives.

Hiteswar Saikia was to work in unison with two definite targets fixed by the Mizo Accord.

Hiteswar Saikia was the man who discovered the actual grievances of the Mizo's.

Hiteswar Saikia went on facing all the problems for the solution of which he had to depend on his own resources of intelligence during his Chief Ministership.

Hiteswar Saikia was a close friend and associate of Dr Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India.

Doctors insisted to take rest but Hiteswar Saikia refused and continuing on his post-political career until his untimely demise on 22 April 1996 of a cardiac arrest at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, at the age of 61.