No Assamese-Bengali rift: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: BJP leader Amit Malviya had recently brewed up a controversy labelling Sylheti, a Bengali dialect, as Bangladeshi language. Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, ruled out any controversy on the issue maintaining that when Modi himself had accorded classical status to Bengali language, there was no question of undermining the language in which Tagore had composed the national anthem. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accorded classical language status to Bengali, then how could Bengali be a Bangladeshi language?” asked Dr Sarma. The CM further said that there was no rift between Assamese and Bengalis in today's Assam. He said that leaders like Sushmita Dev, the TMC MP, wanted to create divisions among the Hindus by whipping up linguistic jingoism. The CM also said that eviction against Miyas living illegally in forest areas would continue.

Maintaining that Dima Hasao was not Bangladesh and hence if some villages of Cachar got merged with the neighbouring district, it was not a big issue, the Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, said that if people of Barak Valley raised protest, the merger would definitely not happen. Sarma, who unveiled statues of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Mangal Pandey, while speaking with the media, said, that after the completion of the East-West corridor, the two neighbouring districts of Cachar and Dima Hasao would come closer, and hence minor issues should not be blown out of proportion. Recently, the administrative process for incorporating 19 villages of Lakhipur to Dima Hasao had been initiated.

The Chief Minister further said that the Silchar Corporation election would be held in November. On the other hand, after the environmental clearance, the process for the greenfield airport at Doloo would begin, he added.

Sarma reached Silchar on Sunday and offered prayers at the Kanchakanti Kali mandir in Udharbond.  Later in the day, he arrived at Rangirkhari point to unveil the 10-feet Netaji statue crafted by famed sculptor Arun Jogiraj of Mysore.

Sarma dedicated the grand statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to Assam's 2nd biggest city, which he said was befitting of his towering stature and contribution to the Indian Freedom Movement. Maintaining that the statue reestablished the strong connection between Netaji and Assam, the Chief Minister said, "Why is this statue special? Because this is the exact place where 40 years ago, the people of Silchar pooled Rs 2 lakh, a huge sum at that time, to build Netaji's statue."

Also Read: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to unveil twin statues in Silchar on Sunday

Also Watch: