Shah inaugurates surveillance centre, NE’s largest auditorium

Guwahati: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday inaugurated NE's largest auditorium, the ‘Jyoti-Bishnu Antarjatik Kala Mandir’, in Guwahati and also opened the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) for round-the-clock surveillance of the city.

The auditorium, named after Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rava, has been built at a cost of Rs 291 crore. Officials said the complex has a seating capacity of 5,000 and is spread over 45 bighas in the Khanapara area.


Shah said, “The construction of a grand auditorium in memory of cultural icons Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rava, with a seating capacity of 5,000, stands as a powerful symbol of Assam’s development. Words often fall short when describing the enduring legacy of Agarwala and Rabha. It was Agarwala who laid the foundation of the Assamese film industry with his pioneering film Joymoti, and through his patriotic writings, music, and theatre, he inspired generations of Assamese people to join the country’s freedom movement.”

He added, “Building on this awakening, Gopinath Bordoloi led a decisive movement that ultimately ensured Assam’s inclusion in the Indian Union under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru,” and said Rava’s work drew ordinary people into the freedom struggle. “His accessible writings connected deeply with ordinary people—farmers, labourers, and Adivasi communities—drawing them into the larger struggle for independence,” Shah said.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the ‘Jyoti–Bishnu Antarjatik Kala Mandir’ reflects the state govt’s focus on culture alongside sustainable development. He said the complex will operate on green energy, with rooftop solar panels to reduce its carbon footprint.

Shah also inaugurated the new office building of the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati. He flagged off 39 mobile forensic vans as part of an initiative to strengthen scientific crime investigation.