Hindi has been introduced as the fourth official language of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Budget session beginning on Monday.
Assam Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass announced that along with Assamese, English and Bodo, Hindi would be introduced in the Assembly, saying that the decision was taken at the General-Purpose Committee meeting held on Saturday.
Dass said that the existing official languages would continue to be used in the House. “Since Hindi is the ‘Rashtra Bhasha’, as a sign of respect for it, we have decided to introduce it in the Assam Assembly from Monday,” Dass said.
The Speaker also announced that ALA TV, which broadcasts Assembly proceedings, will be renamed Assam Bidhan Sabha TV.
Notably, the announcement had triggered speculation that Bodo would no longer be used as an official language in the Assembly even as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed the claims, saying no such proposal exists.
In a post on social media, Sarma said he had been informed by the Speaker that “there is no proposal to withdraw the use of the Bodo language from the proceedings or any other official business of the Assembly.”
He described Bodo as “an inseparable part of Assam’s rich cultural heritage and identity”, adding that it “carries the history, traditions, and aspirations of the Bodo community and enriches the vibrant diversity that defines our state.”
Assam Assembly Adds Hindi as Official Language, CM Rules Out Any Move to Drop Bodo
