Definition of Assamese has changed, it must include those living here for years: Himanta

The definition of Assamese has undergone change over the years, and it must include people who have lived in Assam for centuries, such as Hindi speakers and the tea tribes, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The definition of Assamese has undergone change over the years, and it must include people who have lived in Assam for centuries, such as Hindi speakers and the tea tribes, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He said that a mass movement is needed to convince the Assamese people that the identity of the community can be preserved through "quality".

Mr. Sarma was speaking at a programme in which rehabilitation grants were distributed under the ULFA Peace Accord to surrendered cadres.

"The situation in Assam is not due to some policy of the central government but due to infiltration from Bangladesh, which changed the demography of the state. When the census report comes, Assamese people will be only about 40% of the population," he claimed.

Mr. Sarma said that the definition of Assamese has undergone change over the years, and it must include communities such as the tea tribes and Hindi speakers who have been living here for over a century.

Though the Assamese people may be dwindling in numbers, they can come together to assert their identity, he maintained.

"A mass movement is needed so that we can convince the people that though we do not have the numbers, with quality we can keep our Assamese identity alive," the chief minister said.