Assam Police Arrest YouTuber Over Controversial Song

Guwahati: The Assam police on Sunday said that they have arrested YouTuber and singer Altaf Hossain, known for his controversial version of Bihu songs, for allegedly inciting hostility against the state’s ethnic communities through his song.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a social media post had expressed deep anguish over the song and warned the public to adhere to the societal norms of the Assamese community. “As long as our society is alive, we will live with dignity. We will not tolerate any attack on our dignity,” said Mr Sarma.

The chief minister also highlighted the importance of maintaining harmony, highlighting the need to balance preserving traditions with adapting to change.

“To integrate well into society, one must respect its core characteristics. If anyone promotes our civilisation, traditions, or cultural practices in a way that deviates from our norms, it will not be accepted. For example, if Bihu were to be altered into 'Miya Bihu', it would not be accepted by the Assamese people," he asserted in his social media broadcast.

The lyrics by Altap Hussain bear resemblance to a Bangladeshi protest song "desh ta tomar baaper naki" (is the country owned by your father?). The viral song has attracted criticism from ethnic groups, amid a backlash against "Miyas" following the gang rape of a class 10 student from the minority community in central Assam’s Nagaon.

However, the song also calls for communal harmony, describing Assam as a land with a history of unity and appealing to people of all faiths to work together for the state's prosperity.