Political leaders hail classical status to Assamese language

Guwahati: Central govt’s granting of classical language status to Assamese, alongside four other languages, has been welcomed across the political spectrum in the state.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying this move ended long-standing controversies over the classification of the Assamese language. Sarma also conveyed the gratitude of the people of Assam to the Govt of India.

“Assamese joins a select group of languages to enjoy this status. This exemplifies the unique civilizational roots of Assam that has withstood the test of time. With this decision, we shall be able to better preserve our beloved mother tongue, that not only unites our society but also forms an unbroken link to the ancient wisdom of Assam’s saints, thinkers, writers and philosophers,” he wrote in a post on his X handle.

Sarma was also pleased to learn that Bengali received recognition as a classical language, given its historical importance and worldwide reach. “Over the years, Bengali, spoken by crores of people worldwide, has inspired many personalities and played a key role in the history of India,” he said.

“As a language spoken by many in Assam, it is a double joy for us to have both Assamese and Bengali being recognised as classical languages on the same day. My best wishes to all Bengalis on this momentous occasion,” Sarma added.

Congress’s Assam president Bhupen Borah hailed the declaration and said, “Assamese is our mother tongue, and as children of this land, we are very proud that our spoken tongue has been declared a classical language. This has been possible due to the great works of the state’s eminent litterateurs over several centuries.”

AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi said it will help in further development and research of Assamese. He expressed his gratitude to the Asam Sahitya Sabha and others who have worked relentlessly to ensure that all the criteria were met for Assamese to be declared a classical language.

Former DGP and Asam Sahitya Sabha president Kuladhar Saikia, who started the process for recognition in 2021, said the language met all the criteria, as evidenced by stone inscriptions, copper plates, sculptures, and folk music.

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