Guwahati, July 8: Assam Minister and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora on Wednesday asserted that no individual should be harassed in the name of language, while maintaining that illegal foreigners would continue to be treated as foreigners under the law.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Bora sought to clarify the state government’s stand amid the continuing debate over the Assamese language and the issue of illegal immigration. He said there was no question of harassing anyone merely because of language and stressed that every resident of Assam has the right to speak Assamese. “There is no truth in the allegation that people are being harassed in the name of language.
Anyone residing in Assam can speak Assamese. Speaking Assamese is not prohibited for any individual,” Bora said. The Minister added that the state government has consistently encouraged the promotion and preservation of the Assamese language while ensuring that linguistic issues are not used to create unnecessary divisions among communities.
On the issue of illegal immigration, Bora reiterated that the legal status of foreigners remains unchanged irrespective of the language they speak. “Foreigners are foreigners. I have no confusion regarding this,” he said, adding that identifying and dealing with illegal immigrants must be carried out in accordance with the law.
The AGP leader’s remarks come amid heightened political debate over linguistic identity and the detection of illegal Bangladeshi nationals in Assam. The issue has gained prominence following the state government’s intensified drive against illegal infiltration and its repeated assertion that genuine Indian citizens have nothing to fear from the ongoing verification process.
The government has also maintained that learning or speaking Assamese is encouraged as part of the state’s cultural identity, while legal action against illegal immigrants is being pursued separately under the provisions of the Constitution and existing laws. Bora’s statement is expected to add to the ongoing political discourse, in which language, identity and illegal immigration are likely to remain key issues.
IANS
