Cachar Congress Asks CM Himanta to Apologise to Bengalis During Silchar Visit

Ahead of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s two-day visit to Barak Valley beginning Sunday (August 31), the Cachar District Congress Committee launched a scathing attack on him, demanding an apology for his alleged “derogatory remarks” on the Bengali language and community.

Addressing a press meet on Saturday, District Congress President Sajal Acharjee alleged that the Chief Minister had remarked that those declaring Bengali as their mother tongue in the upcoming census would help the government identify illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. He also slammed BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya’s recent statement in which he allegedly described Sylheti as a “Bangladeshi language.”

“Before unveiling the statue of Netaji in Silchar, he should bow before it and apologise to all Bengalis and Sylhetis for his remarks,” Acharjee said.

Senior Congress leader Surja Kanti Sarkar added, “We welcome him to Silchar to inaugurate the statue of our icon Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. But we urge him to perform the ashtang pranam before garlanding Netaji. Only then can he truly show respect. A few days back, he and Amit Malviya insulted the Bengali and Sylheti languages. He must apologise for this disrespect.”

The Congress further accused the Chief Minister of “double standards.” “In Barak, he tries to show affection towards Bengalis, but outside, he speaks against them. His past remarks on the census make us suspicious about his real intentions behind this visit,” a party member said.

Members of the Youth Congress also warned of protests if the CM did not issue a public apology. “If he refuses to apologise, we will greet him with black flags. Criticising Bengalis is disrespectful to our 11 Bhasha Shahids and revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose. Even Netaji himself was Bengali. How can BJP leaders brand Bengali as a Bangladeshi language?” a youth leader said.

The Cachar Congress concluded that the CM must clarify his stance and apologise to the Bengali-speaking community before unveiling the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Silchar.