Five Assam Communities Pledge to List Assamese in Census

At an academic and cultural convention organised by the *Axam Xahitya Xabha* in Tezpur, five communities of Assam - the Goria, Moria, Deshi, Jolha (tea community), and Sayed - resolved to record *Assamese* as their mother tongue in the upcoming Census.

The event, held in collaboration with the Xabha's Performing Arts Sub-Committee, opened with an address by Padma Shri Dr Elias Ali. Principal Secretary Debojit Bora noted that these communities have long enriched Assam's culture and folk traditions, describing the initiative as an effort to safeguard their identity and heritage for future generations.

Beyond the linguistic resolution, the convention passed several demands, including allocation of land for cultural centres, reserved representation in the Assembly and local bodies, and separate development councils with financial support. The Xabha announced plans for an awareness drive encouraging members of the five communities to identify as Assamese speakers in the Census, reinforcing a shared linguistic identity amid the state's cultural diversity.