The ‘proud Assamese’ from other States
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has appealed to residents of Assam who are originally from other states to identify 'Assamese' as their mother tongue in the upcoming Census. This move aims to address the declining percentage of Assamese speakers in the state's demographic data.
Why it matters
Language identification in the Census is a sensitive political issue in India that influences state policy and ethno-religious identity.
T he Prime Minister’s ‘ dimagi Naxal’ comment during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi hogged the headlines on August 15. It drowned out another set of comments made from the barely historic Khanapara Veterinary Ground about 2,000 km away. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued an appeal to the people of Assam who are natives of other States to list ‘Assamese’ as their mother tongue during the ongoing Census exercise.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in