BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on May 19 launched a sharp attack on the Congress and India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru over the 1961 language movement in Assam, alleging that the then Congress-led government had attempted to “fragment” Assam during a politically sensitive period.
In a post on X, Dubey claimed that during the 1960s, when the country was facing the threat of Chinese aggression, the Congress government tried to create divisions and tensions between Assamese-speaking and Bengali-speaking communities in Assam. Referring to the police firing on Bengali language protesters in Barak Valley on May 19, 1961, he described the incident as a “dark chapter” in the history of the Congress.
On that day, 11 protesters were killed in police firing during a demonstration demanding recognition of Bengali as an official language in the Barak Valley region.
Dubey alleged that the unrest began after the Congress government made Assamese mandatory in education, administration and government jobs in 1960, triggering widespread anger among Bengali-speaking residents of Barak Valley.
He further claimed that repeated appeals had been made to Nehru before the firing incident, but those concerns were ignored. According to Dubey, the policies of the Congress government at the time were aimed at weakening Assam socially and politically. He also referred to similar language-related conflicts witnessed in other parts of India, including Tamil Nadu, during the same period.
The BJP MP’s remarks came shortly after his earlier allegations linking Nehru to the 1953 arrest and subsequent custodial death of Syama Prasad Mukherjee in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also criticised the Nehru-Gandhi family during a rally in Assam, alleging that they “never had good feelings for Assam.” Referring to the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Shah claimed that Nehru had virtually abandoned Assam during the conflict. He also highlighted the BJP government’s role in signing peace accords in Assam and accused the Congress of opposing developmental projects, including the proposed Indian Institute of Management campus at Palashbari.
The Congress has not yet issued any official response to Dubey’s latest remarks.
Meanwhile, Barak Valley observed Language Martyrs’ Day with widespread tributes, remembrance ceremonies and cultural programmes across Cachar, Sribhumi and Hailakandi districts.
In Silchar, commemorative events began early in the morning at the railway station premises. Tributes were later paid at the cremation ground and at the Gandhi Bagh memorial site at 2:35 pm, marking the exact time associated with the historic police firing. A symbolic procession was also organised from the railway station to the cremation ground.
Several organisations, including Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan, organised martyr tribute programmes at Bangabhavan and Gandhi Bagh. An art camp and painting exhibition based on the language movement were organised by “The Group of Colors” at Gandhi Bagh.
In the evening, residents lit eleven lamps at homes and shops in memory of the eleven language martyrs. The Matribhasha Suraksha Samiti also organised a commemorative programme at Gandhi Bagh, while the Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum held a blood donation camp in memory of the martyrs.
Similar programmes were organised across Sribhumi and Hailakandi districts by various social, cultural and student organisations.
Assam University also organised a series of events to mark the occasion. Floral tributes were offered at the Language Martyrs’ Memorial near the university gate and at the memorial altar in front of the Bengali Department. A discussion meeting and cultural programme were later held at Swapna Devi Memorial Hall, presided over by Vice Chancellor Rajeev Mohan Pant. Economist Dr. Joydeep Biswas of Cachar College attended the programme as the keynote speaker.