Himanta Sarma Urges Assam Settlers to Declare Assamese as Mother Tongue in Census

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has appealed to settlers in the state to register Assamese as their mother tongue in the upcoming census. The appeal appears aimed at boosting the demographic representation of the Assamese language across the state. However, Sarma clarified that residents of Barak Valley, a region with a predominantly Bengali-speaking population, are free to choose their own mother tongue. Similarly, tribal communities across the state have been granted the same discretion in identifying their linguistic identity. The statement has drawn attention given Assam's longstanding sensitivities around language, identity, and demographic composition.