GUWAHATI, March 13 � Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora today said that it is the Constitutional responsibility of the State government to decide on the definition of Assamese people for the purpose of providing Constitutional and other safeguards to the people of Assam as per Clause Six of the Assam Accord.
The Sabha president said that the literary body�s primary role has been to construct and protect a greater Assamese society on the basis of language.
Addressing mediapersons here, he said that after the government entrusted the literary body with the responsibility of finding a definition of the Assamese people, it discussed the issue on various forums. However, a consensus could not be reached on a common definition.
�The Assam Sahitya Sabha believes that all the Indian citizens who live in Assam and who speak Assamese language as mother tongue or either their second or third language, irrespective of the places of their origin, ethnicity, caste or religion, are inseparable part of the greater Assamese society and hence, they are Assamese. In future, the same principle would be the guiding force of the Assam Sahitya Sabha,� said Dr Bora.
Bora said that for a stronger Assamese society and proper development of the Assamese language and literature, it is pertinent to accept a broader definition of Assamese people. �For those who do not want to call themselves Assamese, the question of including them within the fold of this idea, does not arise,� he added.
Asking the State government to take immediate measures for safeguarding the State language and other mother tongues of the State, the Sabha said the Assam government�s role has been unsatisfactory in this regard. It also demanded protection and development of languages of all the tribes and communities of the State. It asked the government to take a decision in this regard during the ongoing Assembly session.
The apex literary body also asked the State government to prepare an error-free NRC, where no genuine citizen is left out and no foreigner gets an entry.