Assam CM accuses writers of fuelling separatist sentiments, blames provocative literature for past unrest

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused a section of writers and intellectuals of fuelling separatist sentiments in the state through provocative literature that, he said, pushed thousands of youths towards armed movements and left lasting scars on Assamese society.

Addressing a public gathering, Sarma alleged that for decades, certain so-called intellectuals weakened national unity by spreading despair and radical ideas through their writings. He said that while the nation and the people of Assam paid a heavy price in the form of violence, unrest and loss of lives, those who propagated such ideologies conveniently escaped accountability and ensured their own families remained insulated from the consequences.

“The literature we wrote took thousands of young men away from their mothers’ arms. It erased the sindoor from the foreheads of thousands of women because we did not write about hope,” the Chief Minister said, reflecting on the role of past writings in shaping militancy. He added that society was provoked and driven towards despair, forcing thousands of young men and women to take up arms.

Sarma claimed that nearly 20,000 youths lost their lives after being influenced by revolutionary writings published in influential Assamese periodicals such as Budhbar and Sadin. Despite the devastating impact, he said, the authors of such literature have never accepted responsibility for the bloodshed that followed.

“Today, from a distance, they dream of a bright future for their own children, while those inspired by their writings lost everything, including their lives,” Sarma said. He termed this a moral failure and called for serious introspection by those who shaped public discourse during the years of insurgency.

The Chief Minister underlined the need to move away from narratives of despair and towards literature and public discourse that promote hope, peace and constructive engagement, particularly for the younger generation.