The Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) has appealed to all residents of Assam who identify themselves as Assamese and take pride in the state’s identity to register Assamese as their mother tongue in the upcoming Census.
In a statement issued by the organisation, signed by president Bubumoni Goswami and general secretary Ritul Baruah, MASS said that legally recognised migrants who have settled in Assam, grown up in the state, and were granted Indian citizenship under the Assam Accord should record Assamese as their mother tongue. The organisation described it as an appropriate way of expressing gratitude to Assam and fulfilling a national responsibility.
The organisation stated that many members of communities who have embraced Assam as their home—including those referred to by cultural icons Dr Bhupen Hazarika and Jyotiprasad Agarwala as the “new Assamese”—have studied in Assamese-medium schools and made significant contributions to the growth of Assamese language and literature.
Calling the forthcoming Census a crucial moment for the state’s linguistic identity, MASS urged people not to be influenced by forces allegedly opposed to Assam or the Assamese language. It appealed to all sections of society to support the Assamese language and participate in the process of national integration by strengthening the linguistic and cultural identity of Assam.
According to the organisation, safeguarding Assamese as the state’s official language and ensuring its long-term future requires collective participation from everyone who considers Assam their home.