AASU slams ABMSU’s ‘minority language’ threat, draws parallels with Maharashtra tensions

In a sharp rebuttal to the All Bodo Minority Students’ Union’s (ABMSU) contentious warning that Assamese could be reduced to a minority language, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has condemned the statement as “provocative” and “emotionally manipulative,” while drawing attention to similar language identity tensions playing out in Maharashtra.

AASU president Utpal Sharma accused ABMSU of weaponising language sentiment to erode Assamese identity and confidence.
“This tactic of claiming Assamese will become a minority language has been used time and again to emotionally blackmail the Assamese community. It’s time we stop responding to every comment made by anti-Assamese voices,” Sharma said.

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His response follows ABMSU Central Executive president Moinuddin Ali’s remarks cautioning that a census boycott by Bengali-origin residents could dilute Assamese linguistic representation.

Ali warned that such an outcome could push Assamese into minority status in their own homeland — a claim AASU rejects outright.
Ali further compared the perceived marginalisation of Muslims to the resilience of Jews after the Holocaust, stating, “Even after the Holocaust, Jews were not destroyed. Similarly, Muslims will not be destroyed; they will grow stronger.”

The heated exchange echoes the ongoing language friction in Maharashtra, where groups like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have been asserting the primacy of Marathi in public and commercial spaces.

The state has witnessed a spate of confrontations over the use of Hindi and English signboards, with similar emotional appeals about the survival of Marathi identity.

In both Assam and Maharashtra, language has become a crucible for larger debates around migration, identity, and cultural preservation — with youth-led groups taking center stage. The AASU leadership reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Assamese language and culture. “We urge people not to fall for divisive propaganda. The Assamese identity is not so fragile that it will crumble under pressure,” Sharma added.