HT Digital,
Guwahati, October 29: A political storm has erupted in Assam after a video showing senior Congress leader and poet Vidhu Bhushan Das singing a few lines from Bangladesh’s national anthem, Amar Sonar Bangla, at a party meeting in Sribhumi district went viral. The 85-year-old’s rendition during a Congress Seva Dal meeting at Indira Bhavan has prompted the state government to order an inquiry. Fishery Minister Krishnendu Paul has directed district officials to verify the incident and take legal action if necessary.
Paul alleged that the act reflected Congress’s “affinity for Bangladesh,” linking it to the party’s historical role in the subcontinent’s partition. His remarks triggered sharp criticism from Congress leaders, who dismissed the controversy as political theatre. Sribhumi Congress president Tapas Purkayastha defended Das, saying he only sang two lines of a Rabindranath Tagore composition, while Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP of “manufacturing outrage” and disrespecting Bengali cultural heritage.
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The video’s circulation has reopened long-standing debates in Assam over identity, language, and belonging. With both parties trading accusations, the song that once symbolised cultural pride has now become a flashpoint in the state’s volatile political landscape.
