Amit Shah hails Mising culture, urges community to lead fight against infiltration

Dhemaji, Jan 30: Calling on the Mising community to take the lead in resisting infiltration across Assam, Amit Shah on Friday said indigenous communities must play a decisive role in safeguarding the state’s demographic balance, culture and identity as the Assembly elections approach.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the 10th Mising Youth Festival organised by Takam Mising Porin Kebang (All Mising Students’ Union) at Kareng Chapori as the chief guest, the Union Home Minister said unchecked infiltration during previous regimes had altered Assam’s demographic structure and posed a serious threat to indigenous communities.

“During the Congress era, Assam’s demography changed completely. From zero, the number of infiltrators rose to 64 lakh, and in seven districts they became a majority,” Shah alleged, adding that the BJP-led government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to reverse the trend.

Urging the community to act beyond their own regions, he said, “It is the responsibility of the Mising people not only to stop infiltration in their areas but across the entire state. If infiltration has to be stopped completely, help form a BJP government again. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, we will throw out infiltrators one by one.”

Shah said Assam’s youth were now choosing development and vision over violence. “Through peace accords, more than 10,000 youths have laid down arms. Development has replaced unrest in Assam,” he said, citing infrastructure expansion, improved connectivity and major public projects.

Linking resistance to infiltration with cultural preservation, Shah described Mising culture as inseparable from Assam’s civilisational identity.

“Mising culture is the soul of Assam’s and India’s culture. Every community, language and tradition has an equal right to flourish in India,” he said.

He praised the Mising Youth Festival for showcasing a peaceful assertion of identity.

“If I had not come here, I would have missed this powerful sight of an entire field filled with young people proudly wearing Mising attire. This festival shows how rights, culture, language, songs and traditions are protected not by guns, but through confidence in identity,” Shah said.

Highlighting the community’s ecological wisdom, Shah said practices such as Chang Ghor construction and festivals like Ali Aye Legang demonstrate harmony with nature.

“At a time when the world is grappling with global warming, the Mising people had already shown solutions through river-friendly settlements. Worshipping nature is worshipping God,” he said.

Recalling historical contributions, Shah said members of the Mising community played key roles in the Battle of Saraighat, resistance against Burmese invasions and the freedom movement.

Shah also announced that special recruitment provisions for the Mising community in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be introduced soon. He noted that Mising has been recognised as a medium of instruction in 200 lower primary schools in Assam.

“When children are educated in their mother tongue, the community survives for generations,” he said.

Comparing central assistance under different regimes, Shah said Assam received Rs 1.28 lakh crore from the Centre between 2004 and 2014, while Rs 5.85 lakh crore has been provided in the past decade under the Modi government, including Rs 30,000 crore for road infrastructure.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing the gathering, announced a Rs 100 crore grant for the Mising Youth Festival and described the community as a natural shield against infiltration.

“Had the Mising people been settled across Assam from Dhubri to Sadiya, infiltration would never have entered the state,” Sarma said.

He also spoke about revising school syllabi to better reflect indigenous history.

“The BJP government will always stand with the Mising community to protect Assam’s history, culture and identity,” Sarma assured.