Hindi has been introduced in the Assam legislative Assembly as a fourth language, alongside Assamese, English and Bodo, ANI quoted Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass as saying.
“For the first time Hindi language has been introduced,” the news agency quoted him as saying. “Hindi is Rashtra Bhasha [national language], and to recognise it, we have decided to introduce the Hindi language.”
India does not have a national language, although the Constitution recognises Hindi in the Devnagari script as the official language of the country. The Official Languages Act of 1963 allows for English to be used for official communication alongside Hindi.
The language policy will come into effect starting Monday, the first day of the Budget session of the Assembly, The Times of India reported.
Dass also announced that ALA TV, which broadcasts Assembly proceedings, will be renamed Assam Bidhan Sabha TV, the newspaper reported.
The announcement has raised more concerns in the state about the status of the Bodo language.
On Friday, the All Bodo Students’ Union organised a protest after reports alleged that the government intended to remove Bodo from the logo of the state Assembly, India Today NE reported.
However, on Sunday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified 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”.
I have been informed by the Hon’ble Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly that there is no proposal to withdraw the use of the Bodo language from the proceedings or any other official business of the Assembly.
The Bodo language is an inseparable part of Assam’s rich cultural…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 5, 2026
Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.
