Assam CM Highlights Language in Census to Identify Foreign Nationals
Census Language Controversy in Assam
On Thursday, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that if individuals indicate Bengali as their mother tongue in the upcoming census, it will assist the government in determining the number of 'foreigners' residing in the state.
During a press conference, Sarma remarked, “Concerns surrounding language listings during the census are unfounded. People have been led to believe that a decline in Assamese speakers would lead to its extinction, but I assure you, the Assamese language will endure.”
He further cautioned that providing inaccurate information in the census constitutes an offense.
असमिया भाषा हमारी विरासत है, हमारी पहचान है!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 10, 2025
भाषा के नाम पर हमें डराने की कोशिश न किया जाए, हम डरने वालों में नहीं हैं। pic.twitter.com/LqVvC9xag5
Sarma's comments followed a protest led by student leader Mainuddin Ali, who urged Bengali-origin Muslims to refrain from listing Assamese as their mother tongue in census forms.
Ali, representing the All Bodoland Territorial Council Minority Students’ Union, declared, “We, the Bengali-origin Muslims, will not identify Assamese as our mother tongue in this census. We will eliminate the Assamese language from our documentation, which could lead to the Assamese community becoming a minority.”
His statements drew criticism from organizations like the Assam Sahitya Sabha and the All Assam Students’ Union, who accused him of linguistic coercion.
In response, Sarma reiterated that Assamese is the official language of the state and asserted that recording Bengali in the census would merely quantify the number of foreigners, not jeopardize the status of Assamese.
“Language should not be weaponized for intimidation,” he emphasized, adding that eviction operations would persist regardless of the census results.
Following the protest, Ali was suspended from the students’ union, and a police complaint was lodged against him.
Oliullah Laskar, an advocate at Gauhati High Court, criticized Sarma’s remarks, stating that they suggest language is being used as a criterion for determining nationality in Assam, which he labeled as discriminatory.
Since May, the Assam government has been accused of forcibly pushing individuals across the border into Bangladesh, many of whom assert their Indian citizenship.
On June 9, Sarma reported that over 330 individuals deemed foreigners by the state’s Foreigners Tribunals had been sent back to Bangladesh.
These tribunals, which handle citizenship matters, have faced allegations of bias and arbitrariness, often declaring individuals as foreigners based on minor errors or lack of documentation.
On May 20, Sarma stated that the state is obligated to safeguard Assam's interests and to expel all illegal immigrants as directed by the Supreme Court.
This statement referenced a ruling from February 4, which mandated the deportation of individuals identified as foreign nationals.