Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the decision to rename the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in order to align with the naming pattern of other state medical colleges. Sarma emphasized that most Assam medical colleges are named after geographical locations, prompting the renaming of the Barpeta institution to Barpeta Medical College and Hospital for consistency. The Chief Minister assured that a separate project in Guwahati would be dedicated to honoring former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
The state government’s move faced criticism from opposition leaders, with AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam urging the withdrawal of the decision to rename the medical college. The decision was made during a recent cabinet meeting where the Assam government approved the renaming of the institution situated in Barpeta district. Established in 2011, the medical college is affiliated with Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences and offers medical courses while serving as a key healthcare facility in western Assam.
The renaming decision has stirred political discussions in Assam, with opposition parties questioning the rationale behind the change. Despite the backlash, the state government maintains that the renaming is purely administrative and aims to standardize the naming conventions of public medical institutions.
