Following the All Bodo Minority Students' Union (ABMSU)'s controversial remark warning of declaring Assamese as a minority language, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has responded, dismissing the statement as baseless and provocative.
Reacting to the development, AASU President Utpal Sharma said that there is no need to respond to every comment made by anti-Assamese organisations or leaders with anti-Assamese sentiments.
Sharma strongly criticised the narrative that Assamese would become a minority language if not written widely, stating that this idea has been used to blackmail the Assamese community for many years. “It’s an emotional tactic employed repeatedly to weaken the confidence and identity of the Assamese people,” he said.
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This statement comes after ABMSU Central Executive President Moinuddin Ali raised concerns about the potential backlash during the upcoming census. “If Bengali-origin people boycott Assamese as their language in the census, it may result in Assamese people becoming a minority in their own state,” he warned.
Drawing a historical parallel, he concluded, “Even after the Holocaust, Jews were not destroyed. Similarly, Muslims will not be destroyed; they will grow stronger.”
The AASU leader reaffirmed the union’s commitment to safeguarding the Assamese language, culture, and identity, urging people not to fall for divisive propaganda.
The remarks come amid rising tensions around the protection and promotion of indigenous languages in Assam, with various student bodies and civil society groups demanding stronger policy interventions.