Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly dismissed the controversy over the labeling of Bengali as a “Bangladeshi language,” terming it a politically motivated issue designed to divide communities for electoral gains. Speaking at a large public gathering in Silchar on Sunday, the Chief Minister underlined that there is no conflict between the Assamese and Bengali communities in Assam, and urged people not to fall into the trap of divisive politics. In his address, Sarma sought to reassure the people of Barak Valley, where a large section of the population speaks Bengali, that the government respects every language and community in Assam. He made it clear that Assamese and Bengali-speaking populations have lived in harmony for generations.
“There is no Assamese versus Bengali issue in Assam; we are all Hindus. These matters are raised by leaders like Sushmita Dev for their political benefits. If I contest from Silchar, I will win with a margin even larger than in Jalukbari,” Sarma asserted, drawing cheers from the crowd. The Chief Minister also questioned the very logic of branding Bengali as “Bangladeshi,” pointing to historical, cultural, and literary contexts. “How can Bengali be termed Bangladeshi? Was Rabindranath Tagore from Bangladesh or West Bengal? Prime Minister Modi has granted classical language status to Bengali. How can the BJP insult the Bengali language and its people?” he asked, reminding the audience of the Nobel laureate’s contribution to Indian and world literature.
The row erupted after the Delhi Police, in an official communication, described Bangla as a “Bangladeshi language.” The phrasing triggered widespread criticism, particularly from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which accused the BJP and its allies of deliberately undermining Bengali identity and hurting the sentiments of millions of Bengali speakers in India and abroad.