Silchar: The Silchar District Congress Committee has strongly condemned Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent statement suggesting that individuals who choose to register their names in Bengali in the upcoming census may be identified as Bangladeshis. The Congress termed the remark as “anti-Bengali” and “deeply offensive,” and called for its immediate withdrawal.

Addressing a press conference at the party office on Wednesday, Silchar District Congress president Sajal Acharjee described the Chief Minister’s comment as a direct affront to the Bengali-speaking population of the Barak Valley, famously known as the land of martyrs. He announced that the Congress will hold a protest demonstration on July 29 in Silchar to denounce the CM’s controversial remarks.

Acharjee further informed that a protest rally will be taken out from the Congress office to the Cachar District Commissioner’s office, where a sit-in demonstration (dharna) will be held. He expressed disappointment over the silence of the ruling party’s Bengali-speaking elected representatives from the Barak Valley, calling it “shameful” and “insulting” to the legacy of the eleven martyrs who laid down their lives for the recognition of the Bengali language in Assam.

“The Chief Minister’s statement has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Bengali community and disrespected the Bengali language. It is unfortunate that local leaders from the ruling party have remained mute spectators,” Acharjee said.

The Congress leaders urged the public to come forward and ensure the success of the July 29 dharna, calling it a collective responsibility to safeguard the dignity of their language and identity.

Prominent Congress leaders including Papon Dev, Arun Dutta Mazumder, Kushal Dutta, Tublu Sen, Silchar Zila Parishad member Noor Islam, and Ranabir Debnath were also present.

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