In Brief
- Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged settlers living in the Brahmaputra Valley for decades to register Assamese as their mother tongue during the Houselisting Operations of Census 2027.
- Sarma framed Assamese as a unifying "link language" for the state's diverse indigenous communities, excluding Barak Valley and indigenous groups from this specific request.
- The voluntary drive primarily targets specific Lower Assam districts like Dhubri, Barpeta, and Goalpara to foster a broader collective identity and safeguard land resources.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called upon non-native residents who have lived in the Brahmaputra Valley for decades to register Assamese as their mother tongue in the upcoming Census 2027 operations.
Speaking to reporters at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Sarma clarified that the appeal is voluntary and specifically aimed at residents who moved to Assam from other states, particularly in multi-linguistic areas of Lower Assam such as Dhubri, Barpeta, and Goalpara. The Chief Minister stated that the initiative excludes residents of the Barak Valley as well as indigenous tribal communities, pointing out that Assamese already serves as a vital "link language" connecting diverse groups like the Boro, Mising, and Rabha peoples.
Describing the census as an opportunity to build a "broader collective," Sarma added that BJP MLAs would work in their respective constituencies to raise awareness about the effort. He also linked the registration initiative to broader concerns regarding land protection in vulnerable regions, while reassuring the public that participation remains completely voluntary.
Source: The Assam Tribune
