HT Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Feb 1: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday warned of a growing identity crisis for the Assamese community, urging citizens to take the lead in safeguarding their heritage. Speaking at the 516th Biswa Mahabir Chilarai Divas at Pipora Dookan in Darrang, he said Assamese people are becoming a minority in areas historically ruled by Mahabir Chilarai and Maharaj Naranarayan.
Sarma stressed that while the government has worked to reclaim lost identity over the past five years, administrative efforts alone are insufficient. “The government can initiate action, but people must lead this movement,” he said, describing the Garukhuti land reclamation drive as only the beginning.
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He also highlighted the Koch Rajbongshi community’s struggle in undivided Goalpara, noting encroachment by immigrants from Bangladesh. Paying tribute to Mahabir Chilarai, Sarma called him a visionary leader whose support of Srimanta Sankardev sparked a cultural renaissance with the ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ as a lasting symbol. He said Chilarai and Lachit Barphukan’s courage should inspire Assamese society to preserve its civilisational legacy.
