PMGKAY food sacks at Morigaon contain advt in Bengali, AASU opposes vehemently

Oct. 22: After black ink was smeared over an Assamese hoarding in Silchar, a somewhat similar fresh controversy has erupted in Morigaon district of Assam. Sacks containing food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) which arrived in Morigaon displayed advertisement in the Bengali language. The program is operated by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) Morigaon unit has raised serious concerns on the matter. AASU has raised a demand to ban distribution of food grains until the sacks are reprinted in Assamese. Morigaon AASU unit president, Dipul Kumar Nath citing the hoarding controversy in Silchar said, “This is clearly a conspiracy against our language. Recently, a Bengali based organization were involved in defacing Assamese posters in Silchar and now rice sacks here in Morigaon contained advertisement in Bengali language. We condemn this act.” Further, he urged upon Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene in this matter.