Concern Grows Over Decline of Assamese-Speaking Population

The percentage of Assamese-speaking people in Assam has dropped from 59.53% in 1971 to 48.38% in 2011, with estimates suggesting it fell further to around 46% by 2021. Former Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bora said Assamese speakers have already become minorities in their own state and urged for policies promoting Assamese as a second or third language. AASU president Utpal Sarma blamed infiltration from Bangladesh and unchecked population growth for the decline, demanding constitutional protection for the Assamese language, strict border control, and a population law to safeguard native identity.