Cybercrime caller tune ‘butchering’ Assamese pronunciation, alleges AASU leader

Guwahati, Jan 6 (IANS) All Assam Students Union (AASU) advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya has alleged that the cybercrime awareness caller tune has been “butchering” Assamese pronunciation.

Taking to X handle, Bhattacharya wrote on Monday, “The cybercrime awareness caller tune in Assam is insulting our Classical Language by severely butchering Assamese pronunciation. This is unacceptable for a language with such rich heritage and cultural significance.”

He has demanded immediate action and appealed for a correction in the caller tune. “We need immediate action and replacement in the correct form that preserves our language’s authenticity while delivering the cyber awareness message. It’s disheartening to see a language conferred as ‘classical language’ being tarnished this way. Urging the authorities to take strict action against this misrepresentation and ensure respect for the Assamese language,” the AASU leader added.

The Assam government celebrated the classical language tag of Assamese language conducting a week-long celebration across the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said, “#BhashaGauravSaptah, a week-long celebration of Assam’s rich linguistic heritage and the conferring of Classical Language status to Assamese, begins today. This week, people from various linguistic groups will celebrate their languages and commit themselves to preserving it.”

He mentioned, “Assamese is over 2000 years old, facts such as these need to be reinforced during Bhasha Gaurav Saptah. Along with other online and offline activities in schools, colleges, and public offices, we will also release a booklet explaining the importance of Classical Language.”

To recall, Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, and Assamese were the five additional languages acknowledged as classical languages on October 3 in a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Oriya have previously achieved the coveted title, bringing the total number of classical Indian languages to eleven.

The creation of a Center of Excellence for the study of the language, funds for Professional Chairs at Central institutions, and worldwide awards for notable contributors are just a few of the major advantages that come with being designated as a classical language.

–IANS

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