BJP’s 'Bihar Day' plan in Assam irks Ulfa-I; banned outfit issues diktat against Hindi songs in Bihu functions

Guwahati: Protest against possible influence of Hindi on Assamese culture is growing in Assam. 

A day after several local organisations, including banned insurgent group Ulfa-I, raised objections to the BJP-led government's plan to celebrate 'Bihar Day' on March 22 in Tinsukia, Ulfa-I on Thursday asked organisers to avoid Hindi songs during the celebrations of Rongali Bihu, Assam's biggest cultural festival, celebrated in April. Tinsukia is a commercial town in eastern Assam with sizeable population with Bihari origins.

In a statement emailed to media, the Ulfa-I asked prominent singers like Angarag Papon Mahanta and Zubeen Garg to avoid Hindi songs during the first seven day of the Bihu celebrations during their stage performances in order to maintain "sanctity" of the Bihu. The group had issued similar dikats in the part too but some, including singer Zubeen Garg, had openly defied the banned outfit's threat.  

On Wednesday, Ulfa-I similarly issued a statement in which it threatened against celebrations of 'Bihar Day' in Tinsukia. The group also warned about "untoward situation" against those defying its objections to the the celebrations.

The state day functions of other states are noramlly celebrated at the Raj Bhawan, but the plan to celebrate Bihar Day in Tinsukia angered several local organisations. They claimed that by organising the celebrations in Tinsukia, the BJP leaders were trying to show dominence of the Bihar-origin people in the town, where Assamese people were allegedly losing their influence. "This is nothing but to impose the culture of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on the Assamese people. We have no objections to the celebrations at the Raj Bhawan but can't accept the same at the district level," said Utpal Sarma, president of All Assam Students' Union. 

"This is part of BJP's one nation, one language policy. Assamese people will never accept such agression," he said. "BJP imposed the CAA on the Assamese people and started providing Indian citizenship to the Hindu illegal migrants from Bangladesh and now they are trying to impose the culture of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on us." 

Akhil Gogoi, an opposition MLA from Sivasagar, another district in eastern Assam, opposed to the celebrations in Tinsukia. "We don't see Assam Day being celebrated in any districts in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan, except at Raj Bhawan." Akhil represents Raijor Dal, a small regional party having only one MLA. 

Reacting to the protests, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said similar protest could send a wrong message to other states and could put people from Assam living in rest of the country in trouble.