SILCHAR : The Barak Democratic Front (BDF) has strongly condemned Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s controversial comment suggesting that those who declare Bengali as their mother tongue in the upcoming census could be easily identified and arrested as Bangladeshis.

In a press meet, BDF Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy stated that such remarks are deeply insulting to the Bengali population of Assam. He pointed out that the NRC process, which cost Rs 1600 crore, remains unresolved. The state government’s failure to finalize the status of the 19 lakh excluded individuals and repeated politicization of the “Bangladeshi” issue, especially before elections, shows a clear lack of intent to resolve it permanently.

Roy accused the government of using Bengali Hindus as a vote bank while continuously neglecting and humiliating them, citing:Destruction of Bengali banners during Durga Puja in Brahmaputra Valley,Zero action against anti-Bengali hate speeches, Just one Bengali minister in the state cabinet with limited authority,

Systematic underrepresentation of Bengalis in politics and administration. BDF Media Cell Convenor Joydeep Bhattacharjee added that: Two Bengali-majority assembly seats were deliberately removed,

Barak Valley continues to face developmental neglect (e.g., no multi-modal logistics hub, unutilized paper mill land),Bengali youths face consistent discrimination in government recruitment.

The BDF warned that if this pattern of humiliation and exclusion continues, Bengalis across all religions will be forced to consider alternative political directions.

They demanded: An immediate retraction of the CM’s “Bangla equals Bangladeshi” remark. A genuine, inclusive approach by the government for the development and dignity of Bengalis in Assam.

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