ABSU burns copies of ‘Hamkoshar Parishista’ over Bodo script issue

KOKRAJHAR, September 22, 2026 — The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) on Tuesday burnt copies of a book titled Hamkoshar Parishista during protests held at several locations across Assam, including Gauhati University, objecting to what it described as the use of the Assamese script to represent the Bodo language.

Hamkoshar Parishista is a multilingual appendix containing learning resources for indigenous languages of Assam, including Bodo, Rabha, Mising and Karbi.

During the protests, ABSU members alleged that Bodo has been represented in the publication using the Assamese script instead of Devanagari, the script used for Bodo.

The organisation asserted that Bodo is recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India and is an Associate Official Language of Assam. ABSU demanded that Bodo be represented in its recognised script in educational and learning resources.

ABSU president Khwrwmdao Wary said the use of the Assamese script to represent Bodo in the publication was disrespectful to the Bodo language and literature.

He said Bodo is an Associate Official Language of Assam and a language recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Wary demanded the immediate withdrawal of the publication in its present form and called for the use of the Devanagari script for Bodo in the book.