Guwahati, 1st September: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly urged a shift towards indigenous and organic fish consumption to combat health risks associated with fish cultivated using urea fertilizers. Speaking at a recent event, CM Sarma emphasized the dangers posed by fish grown with chemical fertilizers, which have been linked to severe health issues like liver and kidney diseases.
“Miya Muslims use urea fertilizer to produce fish, which has resulted in liver disease; we should avoid that. Assamese need to produce fish in Upper Assam,” Sarma asserted, highlighting concerns raised by local fish traders in Nagaon. These traders recently warned that fish from their area might contain high levels of urea, prompting them to boycott supply to lower Assam and call for a shift to organic alternatives.
In addition to the health concerns, CM Sarma also addressed cultural tensions, particularly criticizing the new rendition of Miya Bihu—a version of the traditional Bihu festival introduced by the Miya Muslim community. Sarma condemned the festival’s lead singer, Altaf Hussain, who was recently arrested, stating that the new format of Miya Bihu was an affront to Assamese culture.
“Amongst all this, a new version of Miya Bihu has come out disturbing our community. We are a proud nation and cannot accept these attacks on our culture,” Sarma declared, calling for an end to what he described as cultural assaults on Assamese traditions. The Chief Minister’s remarks underscore the ongoing tensions between preserving indigenous practices and the influence of newer cultural adaptations in the region.