Guwahati, August 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, August 6, criticised an overseas fundraising initiative organised by Assamese actor and Kathak dancer Meghranjani Medhi in London to support families affected by the recent floods in Assam.
Reacting to Medhi’s street fundraising campaign in London, Sarma said there was no need to seek flood relief for Assam from the United Kingdom or the United States.
Medhi had taken to the streets of London to raise funds for flood-affected families in Assam by performing Kathak and singing Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s popular song “Manuhe Manuhor Babe”.
She performed near John Lewis on Oxford Street and later at Piccadilly Circus, appealing to passers-by to contribute towards flood relief. The campaign raised around 500 pounds, approximately ₹64,000, for the relief effort.
In a post on Instagram, Medhi said she was raising funds for “my people back home in Assam” through her performances in London. She also acknowledged that she was not a trained singer and performed the song with support from her companions.
Medhi later thanked people from the United Kingdom and other parts of the world who stopped to watch the performances and contributed to the initiative. She said the funds raised would be used to help people affected by the floods.
The fundraising campaign received mixed reactions on social media. While some users appreciated Medhi’s efforts to support flood victims, others questioned the decision to seek donations overseas.
Responding to the criticism, Medhi defended the initiative and said her intention was to support flood-affected people rather than seek personal recognition. She appealed to people to focus on the needs of those affected by the floods.
Medhi further said that if asking for help for flood victims was considered “begging”, she would be willing to do it again. She maintained that there was nothing wrong with seeking assistance for families who had lost homes and livelihoods in the floods.
The exchange has since sparked a wider discussion over overseas fundraising for disaster relief in Assam and different approaches to supporting flood-affected communities.
