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When BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya defended the Delhi Police's use of the term "Bangladeshi language" by claiming they meant Sylheti, he called it a dialect unintelligible to Indian Bengalis and implied it was primarily spoken in Bangladesh. That is not only wrong; it's historically and culturally offensive.

Barak Valley: India's Sylheti heartland

In southern Assam's Barak Valley — Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi — Sylheti is the cultural and emotional core. Karimganj was part of the original Sylhet district before the 1947 Partition handed most of Sylhet to East Pakistan. Partition split communities and heritage, leaving a large Sylheti population in India.

Today, more than 70 lakh Indians across Barak Valley, Tripura, and parts of Meghalaya speak Sylheti. In Tripura, it bridges Bengalis and tribal communities, serving as a lingua franca. This is no imported language; it is native to Indian soil.

Sylheti Older Than Bangladesh, Pakistan

Sylheti predates Bangladesh and Pakistan by centuries. Linguists trace its roots to the 6th century AD, evolving from Magadhi Prakrit. Historically the language of the Surma Valley, it developed separately from standard Bengali and once had its own script, Sylheti Nagari, believed to have emerged around the 14th century. The script preserved spiritual texts and folk songs, showing a literate, independent tradition that existed long before modern borders.

Calling Sylheti "foreign" because it's also spoken in Bangladesh is as absurd as calling Punjabi foreign because it's spoken in Lahore.

A Legacy Woven Into India's Story

Sylheti speakers have shaped India's spiritual and political life. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, revered saint and founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, is believed to have Sylheti origins and often used the language informally with his disciples. Gurusaday Dutta, born in Karimganj, was the first Indian to top the ICS and founded the Bratachari Movement to revive indigenous pride. Bipin Chandra Pal, nationalist leader and member of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, was also a native Sylheti speaker.

These figures are central to India's history. To brand their mother tongue as non-Indian is to erase the soil it grew from.

Partition Trauma, Lasting Memory

In 1947, Sylhet's fate was decided by referendum. Most of it went to East Pakistan, with only Karimganj remaining in India. Thousands of Hindu Sylhetis fled to the Barak Valley and Tripura, bringing their language and culture with them. To hear their tongue labelled "Bangladeshi" by a leader of their own country is to reopen that wound.

These were not illegal immigrants. They were victims of geopolitics who rebuilt their lives in India, contributing to its democracy while preserving their traditions.

Malviya's Misstep

As head of the BJP's IT Cell, Malviya shapes the ruling party's digital narrative. His words carry weight, and in this case, that weight has fallen heavily on proud Sylheti-speaking Indians. Instead of acknowledging the error, he doubled down, reinforcing the idea that anything spoken across a border is foreign: a notion that ignores history and geography.

Unity In Diversity

India's strength lies in its many languages. To question the Indianness of one with a 1,400-year history, its own script, and deep roots in the freedom movement is to weaken the very ethos of the Constitution. Sylheti is part of India's linguistic symphony, alongside Tamil, Assamese, Kashmiri, and countless others.

The Way Forward

Sylheti speakers deserve recognition, not rejection. Their language is native, ancient, and integral to the nation. Comments like Malviya's carry cultural consequences far beyond politics. India cannot afford to alienate its own citizens for the sake of careless labels.

Let this serve as a reminder: Sylheti is Indian. It always was. It always will be.

(The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author)

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