Himanta warns of soft power shift: Assamese society pulling back from competition

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has voiced concern over what he described as a gradual shift of “soft power” away from the Assamese people, urging the community to focus on education and skill-building to remain competitive.

Speaking on the current socio-economic challenges, Sarma drew parallels between land ownership and access to opportunities in education and employment. 

“When we look at this year’s medical admission list, we see that power is gradually shifting away from the Assamese people. Whether in soft power or hard power, this shift is undeniable,” he said.

He cited examples of large projects like IIMs and bridges over the Brahmaputra, where Assamese contractors may be involved, but the labour force is non-Indigenous. 

Similarly, in medical admissions, he said Assamese students make up barely 30% of the general category.

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“In Karnataka, it is the Kannadigas. In Maharashtra, the Marathis. In Bengal, the Bengalis. In Gujarat, the Gujaratis. But in Assam, soft power has already started shifting away from the Assamese,” Sarma cautioned, adding that this trend was also visible in universities, postgraduate studies, culture, sports, and technology.

He stressed that this was not about blaming others who succeed through hard work, but about motivating Assamese youth to step forward. “My point was only to show Assamese people a mirror—that in Assam, we are losing our land, our education, and soon we may also lose our jobs. Even in construction work, we do not find Assamese workers anymore,” he said.

Calling it a societal rather than just a governmental issue, Sarma urged parents and students to prioritise skill development and technical training. 

“The real matter of concern is that Assamese society is gradually withdrawing from the world of competition. This is not an emotional outburst but a legitimate social discussion,” he concluded.