Guwahati, Assam:
A major political controversy has erupted in Assam after a video emerged allegedly showing a senior Congress functionary singing Bangladesh’s national anthem, “Amar Sonar Bangla,” during a local party meeting. The state government has termed the act “anti-national” and directed the police to register a case of treason against those involved.
The incident reportedly took place at a Congress Seva Dal meeting in Sribhumi district (formerly Karimganj) in southern Assam, where Bidhu Bhushan Das, an elderly local Congress leader, was seen singing two lines of “Amar Sonar Bangla.” The song, written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1905, was later adopted as the national anthem of Bangladesh in 1972.
Government Reaction
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly condemned the incident, calling it a “blatant act of disrespect to the people of India and its national symbols.” Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Sarma said, “Singing the Bangladeshi national anthem on Indian soil, that too in a political meeting, is unacceptable. It appears to promote the dangerous ‘Greater Bangladesh’ narrative. I have instructed the police to register a case of treason and take strict legal action.”
He added that the matter would be investigated by the Assam Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and that such activities “will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
Assam Fishery Minister Krishnendu Paul also weighed in, directing the district administration to submit a detailed report. “The Congress seems to be displaying its love for the neighbouring country instead of its loyalty to India. This is an insult to every patriotic citizen,” he said.
Congress Defends the Act
The Congress, however, has rejected the allegations of anti-national intent, saying the BJP government is manufacturing a controversy for political gain.
Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi said the BJP’s reaction reflects “complete ignorance of Bengal’s cultural heritage.” He noted that “Amar Sonar Bangla” was written decades before the creation of Bangladesh and is a symbol of cultural unity, not political allegiance. “This poem by Rabindranath Tagore belongs to the shared literary and emotional heritage of all Bengalis — irrespective of borders,” Gogoi said.
Tapas Purkayastha, the Congress District President of Sribhumi, also issued a clarification. He said the elderly leader only sang two lines from the song as a mark of respect to Tagore during the cultural session of the event. “Please don’t play politics with Rabindranath Tagore’s creations. It was not meant as the national anthem of Bangladesh but as part of a cultural tribute,” Purkayastha stated.
Political Fallout
The directive for police action has deepened tensions between the ruling BJP and the Congress in the Barak Valley, a Bengali-majority region that has often witnessed identity-related political clashes.
While the BJP is portraying the incident as a case of “national disloyalty,” the Congress accuses the ruling party of stoking linguistic and communal divisions for electoral advantage.
Political observers say the controversy may have larger implications in the run-up to the next Lok Sabha elections, as both parties seek to consolidate support among Bengali-speaking voters in southern Assam.
