Guwahati, March 20 Amid the protests by some regional political parties, community-based bodies and the militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has cancelled its plan to celebrate 'Bihar Diwas' in Assam's Tinsukia district on March 22, a top party leader said on Thursday.
State BJP President Dilip Saikia said the party has decided not to celebrate the 'Bihar Diwas' in Tinsukia to avoid hurting local sentiments.
Saikia, also a Lok Sabha member from Darrang-Udalguri parliamentary constituency, added that many states, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Nagaland, have celebrated the 'Assam Diwas' on December 2 every year.
"The Bihar Diwas was to be celebrated as 'Sneh Milan Utsav' (festival of affection and togetherness) as part of the BJP's 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' plan over the past few years to uphold togetherness and coexistence across the country. We have decided not to hold the 'Bihar Diwas' in Tinsukia on March 22 after certain sections of society have expressed their opposition about the event," the BJP leader told the media.
However, he said that the day would now be celebrated in other parts of Assam.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the 'opposition’ to celebrate the 'Bihar Diwas' showed 'communal hatred'.
He said that when 'Assam Day' can be observed in other states of the country, it should ideally reciprocate in Assam too.
"Such hostility and prejudice could put off investors," CM Sarma said, reminding people of the possible impact the display of "such mindset" could have on people from Assam studying, working and living in different parts of the country.
The ULFA (I) headed by Paresh Baruah on Wednesday in a statement warned the organisers of 'Bihar Diwas in Tinsukia on March 22 of dire consequences if they went ahead with the plan of celebrating a state that is one of the representatives of "Indian occupational forces".
Subsequently, local parties and indigenous communities such as Ahoms and Morans also expressed their opposition against celebration of the 'Bihar Diwas'.
Raijor Dal leader and party MLA Akhil Gogoi criticised the BJP for its bid to organise the 'Bihar Diwas' with an eye on the Hindi-speaking voters in Assam.
Another regional party, the Assam Jatiya Parishad, also slammed the BJP for "insulting the Assamese people" with its plan to "appease" people from Bihar.
Elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly are due in April-May 2026.
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