Guwahati, July 6: Hindi will be introduced as an additional official language of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Budget session commencing on Monday, joining Assamese, English and Bodo, Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass announced on July 5.
Speaking at a press conference, Dass said the decision was taken during the General Purpose Committee meeting held on Saturday. He stated that Hindi would now be used alongside the existing official languages of the House and clarified that Assamese, English and Bodo would continue to remain in use.
Explaining the decision, the Speaker said Hindi was being introduced as a mark of respect, describing it as the “Rashtra Bhasha”. He also announced that ALA TV, the channel that broadcasts Assembly proceedings, would be renamed Assam Bidhan Sabha TV.
The announcement led to speculation that Bodo would no longer be used as an official language in the Assembly. However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma rejected the reports, stating that no such proposal was under consideration.
In a post on X, Sarma said he had been informed by the Speaker that there was no proposal to discontinue the use of Bodo in Assembly proceedings or any other official business.
The Chief Minister described Bodo as an inseparable part of Assam’s cultural heritage and identity, saying the language reflects the history, traditions and aspirations of the Bodo community while enriching the state’s linguistic diversity.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the language, Sarma said Assam would continue to take every possible step to preserve and promote Bodo so that it continues to flourish for future generations.
Bodo is one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and was notified as an Associate Official Language of the Assam Legislative Assembly under the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020.
