Guwahati, March 19: The celebration of Bihar Foundation Day in Tinsukia on March 22 has ignited controversy, with several political parties and ethnic organizations opposing the event. In response to widespread protests, the Assam BJP has cancelled the programme but defended its initiative as part of the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ campaign, aimed at fostering national unity.
BJP defends initiative, calls for cultural exchange
In a statement, Assam BJP President and Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia justified the celebration, stating that the NDA-led government and its allies have long observed various state foundation days under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Sneha Milan Utsav’. The initiative, he said, is designed to promote unity and strengthen India’s diverse cultural fabric.
Saikia highlighted that several states, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Mizoram, and Nagaland, have previously celebrated Assam Day, while Assam itself has marked the foundation days of Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Sikkim.
Although the Bihar Foundation Day event has now been called off, Saikia reaffirmed the importance of such cultural celebrations in nation-building. He urged people to view these events from a cultural rather than political perspective and emphasized the deep historical ties between Bihar and Assam, referencing Bodh Gaya, Bhagwan Mahavir, Gautam Buddha, and Nalanda University as symbols of shared heritage.
Opposition parties condemn BJP’s move
The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal have strongly opposed the initiative, accusing the BJP of imposing Bihar’s culture on Assam.
AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi criticized the BJP’s efforts, claiming that the party is trying to promote the language and culture of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in Assam. Addressing the media in Dibrugarh, Gogoi alleged that this is part of the BJP-RSS agenda of “One Nation, One Language, One Religion”, designed to expand Hindi dominance at the cost of Assamese identity.
He further argued that under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership, violence and corruption linked to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh politics have already made their way into Assam. While asserting that Assamese people respect other cultures, Gogoi maintained that they will not sacrifice their language and traditions in the name of inclusivity.
Gogoi also cited census reports indicating that the percentage of Assamese speakers in Assam is declining by 5% per decade. He criticized the government for failing to encourage migrants to learn and integrate into Assamese culture, instead promoting an external cultural influence.
Raijor Dal: Celebration an ‘insult’ to Assamese identity
Raijor Dal, led by MLA Akhil Gogoi, has also condemned the Bihar Foundation Day celebration, labelling it politically motivated and an affront to Assamese sentiments.
Akhil Gogoi questioned why Bihar Foundation Day should be observed in Assam when Assam Foundation Day has never been celebrated in Bihar. He accused the BJP of pandering to a specific voter base for electoral gains ahead of upcoming elections and demanded an immediate halt to such practices.
Raijor Dal also warned that such events could lead to social and political discord. The party urged the BJP-led Assam government to prioritize issues affecting indigenous communities instead of engaging in symbolic gestures that could weaken Assam’s cultural identity.
Notably, the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA-I issued a warning to the event organizers on Wednesday morning, stating that they would face consequences if the program was not cancelled.
