Guwahati, Feb 1 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday flagged what he termed a growing identity crisis for the Assamese community, asserting that people must now lead the fight to protect Assamese identity as the community is turning into a minority in regions historically ruled by Mahabir Chilarai and Maharaj Naranarayan.
Addressing the 516th Biswa Mahabir Chilarai Divas celebrations at Pipora Dookan in Darrang district, Sarma expressed serious concern over what he described as aggressive encroachment and demographic changes in large parts of the Chilarai-Naranarayan region.
He said areas once central to Assam’s political and cultural history are witnessing a steady erosion of indigenous presence.
“The Assamese community is facing an identity crisis. In regions once ruled by Chilarai and Naranarayan, Assamese people are now becoming a minority,” the Chief Minister said, urging citizens not to depend solely on the government to safeguard their heritage and identity.
He said that while the state government has been working over the last five years to reclaim lost identity, this struggle cannot be won by administrative measures alone.
“The government can initiate action, but people must take leadership of this movement,” Sarma said, describing the Garukhuti land reclamation drive as only the beginning of a longer struggle.
Highlighting the situation of the Koch Rajbongshi community, he said that in the undivided Goalpara district, the community is struggling to protect its identity, while vast areas of the erstwhile Koch kingdom have been encroached upon by immigrants from Bangladesh.
Paying rich tributes to Mahabir Chilarai, the Chief Minister described him as not just a fearless military commander but a visionary architect of Assam who laid the foundations of the state’s cultural, spiritual and social renaissance.
He said Chilarai’s patronage of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev ignited a cultural awakening, with the creation of the iconic ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ standing as a lasting symbol.
Calling Mahabir Chilarai and Lachit Barphukan eternal sources of inspiration, Sarma said their courage and sacrifice must guide Assamese society in overcoming present-day challenges and preserving its civilisational legacy.
–IANS
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