Ranjeet Dass changes his stance on Lachit Sena’s Bengali Banner Vandalisation; Lauds Cachar for PMAY work

Continuing his tour through the Barak Valley, Ranjeet Kumar Dass, the Minister of Panchayat and Rural Development, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs in the Assam Government, visited Cachar today to assess the progress of various developmental initiatives under his purview.

The minister, who had previously visited Karimganj and Hailakandi, expressed satisfaction with the pace of developmental schemes, particularly those related to housing. Minister Dass revealed that 19 lakh houses had been allocated to Assam under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). In a significant achievement, he noted that his ministry had managed to allocate 11 lakh houses to beneficiaries within 30 months. This marked a substantial improvement when compared to the period between 2016 and 2021 when only 4 lakh houses were distributed.

Minister Dass commended the commendable efforts of Cachar, stating that out of 96,313 allocated houses in the region, an impressive 77,045 had already been distributed. He also shared an ambitious target, saying, “In the next one month, we have set a goal to complete the entire distribution process.”

During his visit, the minister was questioned about the issue of rising onion prices. In response, he explained that the fluctuation in onion prices was primarily dependent on supply and demand dynamics. Whenever there is a scarcity in the market, prices tend to surge. Dass pointed out that the supply of onions significantly impacts the pricing and highlighted the reliance on Nashik as a significant source of onion supply.

Furthermore, the minister shed light on Assam’s dependence on external sources for essential commodities such as staples and oil. While Assam’s own production meets only 30% of the demand, the remaining 70% is met through imports and supply chains.

Notably, Minister Ranjeet Dass’s stance on the language issue underwent a substantial shift compared to his remarks during his visit to Hailakandi. Previously, he had made a statement suggesting that there would be a reaction if Bengali banners were installed in Durga Puja pandals in the Brahmaputra Valley, insinuating a potential clash between Assamese and Bengali linguistic sentiments.

However, in Cachar, the minister clarified his stance, stating, “Lachit is a national hero, a martyr revered in Barak Valley too. There are gardens in Barak Valley named after Bir Lachit. There are statues of Bir Lachit in Cachar and other parts of the region, and this speaks about the Barak, Brahmaputra assimilation,” indicating a more inclusive approach.

Click here to read what he said yesterday

Dass emphasized that reactions in Barak Valley had occurred when government documents transported to the region contained only Assamese language, prompting immediate rectifications. He added, “Similarly, if a Bengali banner is being installed at Puja pandals, it is not to hurt any linguistic sentiments. Today, there are many Bengalis in the Brahmaputra Valley attending Assamese medium schools. They are a part and contributor to the Assamese culture. Such is the story of assimilation in Assam.”

The linguistic issue surrounding the use of Bengali and Assamese is governed by the Assam Official Languages Amendment Act of 1961, which was enacted after 11 martyrs laid down their lives while protesting against the imposition of Assamese as the sole official language in Assam, including the region now known as Barak Valley. The amendment specifically states, “Without prejudice to the provisions contained in Section 3, the Bengali language shall be used for administrative and other official purposes up to and including the district level in the district of Cachar (now Barak Valley).

So, a banner installed by a Puja committee is not an official document issued through the office of Deputy Commissioner, but an official document that Dass referred to is.