No blackmail, Assamese is official language: Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday reiterated that Assamese is the state's official language and warned against using language as a "tool for blackmail." His remarks came in response to a statement by the All Bodoland Territorial Council Minority Students Union (ABMSU), which claimed that Bengali-speaking Muslims would now opt for Bengali over Assamese in public declarations.

"Language cannot be used as a tool for blackmail. In Assam, Assamese is permanent - both as the state and official language," Sarma said. He added that such declarations in Bengali on official documents like electoral rolls or the Census would merely help identify the number of foreigners in the state.

ABMSU leader Mainuddin Ali had said that Bengali-speaking Muslims would now assert Bengali as their language in official declarations, arguing that Assamese was no longer the majority language.