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Miya people

The Miya people, alternatively identified as Na-Asamiya by themselves (ন অসমীয়া, lit. neo-Assamese), denote the progeny of Bengali Muslim migrants originating from the contemporary Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Rajshahi Divisions.[3] These individuals established residence in the Brahmaputra Valley during the 20th century, coinciding with the period of British colonial rule in Assam. The migration of the Miya people was actively promoted by the Colonial British Government from the Bengal Province, spanning the years 1757 to 1942. This migratory trend persisted until the year 1947.[3] Presently, the term "Miya" is employed as a discriminatory label.[4]

Miya
মিঞা/মিয়া
Total population
c. 11-12 million (estimated)
Regions with significant populations
 India (Assam) 10 million (30% of Assam's population)[1][2]
Languages
Bengali, Assamese and other Bengali-Assamese languages
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Bengali Muslims, Assamese Muslims, Mahimal

Etymology edit

The nomenclature "Miya" finds its etymological roots in "mian," an honorific of Persian origin commonly employed throughout the Indian subcontinent when addressing a Muslim gentleman. Originally utilized in a derogatory manner against the aforementioned community, the term has undergone a process of re-appropriation by a cadre of Miya poets who are actively asserting their cultural identity.[5] Presently, "Miya" or "Miya Musalman" has entered the sphere of serious discourse.[6]

Concurrently, the term "Na-Asamiya," as articulated in the Assamese language, conveys the literal meaning of 'neo-Assamese.' This term was adopted by the community and forced the local elites in Assam as a means of establishing a connection with the region by pushing political power backed by the Indian National Congress and AIUDF during their tenure and creating a new identity which didn't existed before.[3]

Furthermore, an alternative designation for this community is "Charua Musalman," signifying Muslims residing in the chars (riverine islands), a preference evident in their settlement patterns. They are also referred to as "Pamua Musalman," denoting Muslim farmers, given that agriculture serves as their primary source of livelihood.[7]

History edit

Internal migration to Assam edit

The internal migration of Bengali Muslims from Rajshahi, Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions of British Bengal presidency (present Bangladesh) to Kamrup (present Assam) started during the census decade of 1901–1911.[8] According to census reports, there was a large-scale migration of human population from eastern Bengal to Assam between 1911 and 1941.[9] 85% of the immigrant population were socially and economically underprivileged Muslims who settled down in the wastelands of Assam.[9] The majority of the internal migrants came from the erstwhile undivided Mymensingh and Rangpur districts of present Bangladesh, What were territories of Kamrupa Kingdom.[10]

The internal migration of Muslims peasants from East Bengal of former Pakistan was officially encouraged prior to the Partition of India by the British imperialists, the All-India Muslim League as well as a section of the Assamese elite; bit it was only considered illegal after the Partition of India in 1947 when Assam belonged to India and East Bengal to Pakistan.[11][better source needed] Many of these migrant Muslims settled on the chars or riverine islands on the Brahmaputra and other low-lying areas. After the Independence of India in 1947, the group gave up their Bengali linguistic identity, adopting the Assamese language as their native language. Gradually they adopted Assamese culture which has led to them being known as Na-Asamiya (Neo-Assamese, who are Bengali origin). The Na-Asamiyas constitute the largest of the four major Muslim ethnic groups in Assam, who together constitute a third of Assam's electorate.[12]

The local gentry of Assam including matabbars, Barpetia matigiris, Marwaris and Assamese moneylenders encouraged the internal migration out of their own interests. The matabbars (literally meaning 'influential person' in Bengali) were the earlier migrants, who owned large amounts of fallow cultivable lands ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 acres. With the ambition of becoming landlords they would send out the message of availability of cultivable lands to their impoverished kinsmen in their native villages in eastern Bengal. They would then either unofficially lease out their lands to the internal migrant Muslims who arrived later or hire them to cultivate their lands. Thus they would act as de facto landlords. The Barpetia matigiris were a section of Assamese gentry in Barpeta district who made profit by selling excess lands to the internal migrant Muslims and encouraged further migration to make even quicker profits. The Marwaris and the Assamese money lenders financed the internal migrant Muslims for the cultivation of jute, ahu rice, pulses and vegetables.

Demography edit

Miyas have a population of almost over 10 million which is spread throughout Assam covering 35% of the state population as of 2021 estimation,[13] though they are mainly concentrated in Barpeta, Dhuburi, Goalpara, Kamrup, Nagaon, Hojai, Darrang, Chirang, Kokrajhar, South Salmara, Nalbari, Morigaon, Sonitpur and Bongaigaon.[14][15][1]

Language edit

In the Presidential address of the 1940 Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Jorhat. Dr. Moidul Islam Bora, an Assamese Muslim himself, happily noted that a community leader from the migrant Muslim community had proudly acknowledged the community's firm resolution become the part of mainstream Assamese culture. After the Partition of India, the Muslim League dissolved the party in Assam and asked the Muslim people to join the Congress.[9] The Muslim League leadership proposed that the Muslims should accept the language and culture of the country of their residence.[9] Accordingly, the leadership asked the Muslims of Assam to register themselves as Assamese speaking during the census. The leadership also asked the Muslims to identify themselves as Assamese and send their children to Assamese medium schools.[9] As directed by the Muslim League leadership, the migrant Muslims gave up their linguistic identity and adopted Assamese as their language. In the 1951 census, the no. of Assamese speakers in Assam rose to 56.7%.[9]

Gradually the Assamese intelligentsia also began to accept the migrant Muslims in the fold of Assamese identity. Benudhar Sharma, President of 1956 Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Dhubri, felt that the mainstream Assamese people were happy to welcome the internal migrant Muslims into the Assamese fold, just like the Koch, Kachari and Ahoms. By this time the migrant Muslims began to establish Assamese-medium schools and colleges, attempting to merge themselves into the mainstream of Assamese culture.[9] In 1961, the Census Commissioner reported that the Na-Asamiyas were honest in their intent to learn the Assamese language and send their children to Assamese-medium schools. The migrant Muslims thus came to be known as the Na-Asamiyas. To this day, there is not a single Bengali-medium school in the areas dominated by the Na-Asamiyas.[16]

With the official acceptance of Assamese language and close proximity to Goalpariya speakers, the Miya have gradually also developed a creole Miya home language. The Miya officially adopted the Assamese language during the language movement.[17][clarification needed] In formal and official meetings, they are able to switch to Standard Assamese.

Discrimination edit

2. Communal Rights -1950

5. Nellie massacre-1983

6. Nagabanda , Chaulkhowa massacre- 1983

7. Amtenga , Tuslijora massacre- 1991

8. Bashbari massacre- 1994

9. Naryanguri massacre -2012

10. Udalguri massacre -2008

Thousands of such discrimination can found if it is searched [[18]]

Poetry edit

Numerous scholars affiliated with the Miya community are actively engaged in endeavors aimed at the amelioration of Miya society, primarily through the medium of Miya poetry.[19] A central objective of this literary pursuit is the reclamation of the term "Miya," which frequently assumes a pejorative connotation when used by non-Muslims.[4] The thematic orientation of Miya poetry converges on addressing multifaceted challenges such as poverty, population growth, and the promotion of literacy within the Miya community.

Notably, the emergence of Miya poetry has generated controversy in the socio-cultural landscape of Assam, particularly eliciting responses from the indigenous populace. The inception of this movement can be traced back to the publication of "Write Down, I am a Miya" by Hafiz Ahmed in 2016.[20] The ensuing discourse surrounding Miya poetry has led to accusations, both in media discourse and formal complaints to law enforcement agencies, characterizing this literary expression as "anti-Assamese," notwithstanding its composition in the Assamese language.[21][22][23]

Notable people edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b "From history to lungis: How this Assam politician is battling for a distinct Miya Muslim identity". scroll.in. 20 March 2022.
  2. ^ Singh, Bikash. "Assam's indigenous Muslims may soon get a development board". The Economic Times.
  3. ^ a b c Saikia, Yasmin (3 September 2021). "Muslim Belonging in Assam: History, Politics and the Future". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 44 (5): 868–887. doi:10.1080/00856401.2021.1962061. ISSN 0085-6401.
  4. ^ a b Dasgupta, Sneharshi (29 October 2022). "The Politics of Identity in Assam: Deaths, Defiance, and Doubtful Voters". TravellersUniversity. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  5. ^ Daniyal, Shoaib (14 July 2019). "'I am Miya': Why poetry by Bengal-origin Muslims in their mother tongue is shaking up Assam". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ Kumar, Aletta Andre,Abhimanyu. "Protest poetry: Assam's Bengali Muslims take a stand". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 27 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Wouters, Jelle J. P.; Subba, Tanka Bahadur, eds. (2023). The Routledge companion to Northeast India. London New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-003-28554-0.
  8. ^ Baruah (1999), p. 56: "The disappointment of the nineteenth-century colonial officials, however, gave way to optimism by 1911, as dramatic trends of migration began to appear just prior to that census."
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Ahmed, Shahiuz Zaman (2006). "Identity Issue, Foreigner's Deportation Movement and Erstwhile East Bengal (Present Bangladesh) Origin People of Assam". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. Indian History Congress. 67 (2006–2007): 624–639. JSTOR 44147982.
  10. ^ Sharma (2011), p. 100: "Entire households moved into Assam from the East Bengal districts of Mymensingh, Pabna, Bogra, Rangpur and Rajshahi."
  11. ^ "Miya, Muslim and Assamese Socio-Political History of Assam". Indilens.com. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  12. ^ Bhaumik, Subir (April 2011). "Risk of durable disorder". Seminar. New Delhi: Seminar Publications (620). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. ^ "The JSPA claims Assam today has about 1.4 crore Muslims as of 2021". The Hindu. 15 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Dehumanising Muslims in Assam". thehoot.org. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  15. ^ Miya on History
  16. ^ Wadud, Aman (21 May 2016). "All Hindu Consolidation or the last battle to protect Assamese Identity: Assam Polls Results". Sabrang. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  17. ^ "East Bengal rooted Muslim or Miyah and Line System in Assam-1920". Indilens.com. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  18. ^ https://www.uml.edu/news/stories/2022/dutta-miya-research.aspx Miya People Losing Indian Citizenship, Facing Mass Detentions
  19. ^ "Miya Poetry". Economic and Political Weekly. 57 (17). 23 April 2022.
  20. ^ Baishya, Amit R. (21 March 2020). ""Multipartner Mud Dances": The Uneventful Entanglement of Humans and Animals in Two Assamese Poems". Café Dissensus. No. 4.
  21. ^ Zaidi, Annie (2020). Bread, Cement, Cactus: A Memoir of Belonging and Dislocation. Cambridge University Press. pp. 59–60. ISBN 9781108840644.
  22. ^ "Interview | There is a Conspiracy to Show Bengal-Origin Muslims as Anti-Assamese: Hafiz Ahmed". The Wire. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  23. ^ আসামের মিঞা কবিতার ইতিহাস, ভূগোল ও দেশপ্রেম. The Indian Express (Opinion).

References edit

  • Baruah, Sanjib (1999). India Against Itself: Assam and the Politics of Nationality. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-565840-8.
  • Baruah, Sanjib (2020). In the Name of the Nation: India and Its Northeast. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9781503611290.
  • Khandakar, Abdullah (2016). Social Exclusion of Inhabitants of Chars: A Study of Dhubri District in Assam (PDF) (M.Phil.). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  • Sharma, Jayeeta (2011). Empire's Garden: Assam and the making of India. Durham and London: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-5049-1.

miya, people, alternatively, identified, asamiya, themselves, অসম, assamese, denote, progeny, bengali, muslim, migrants, originating, from, contemporary, mymensingh, rangpur, rajshahi, divisions, these, individuals, established, residence, brahmaputra, valley,. The Miya people alternatively identified as Na Asamiya by themselves ন অসম য lit neo Assamese denote the progeny of Bengali Muslim migrants originating from the contemporary Mymensingh Rangpur and Rajshahi Divisions 3 These individuals established residence in the Brahmaputra Valley during the 20th century coinciding with the period of British colonial rule in Assam The migration of the Miya people was actively promoted by the Colonial British Government from the Bengal Province spanning the years 1757 to 1942 This migratory trend persisted until the year 1947 3 Presently the term Miya is employed as a discriminatory label 4 Miyaম ঞ ম য Total populationc 11 12 million estimated Regions with significant populations India Assam 10 million 30 of Assam s population 1 2 LanguagesBengali Assamese and other Bengali Assamese languagesReligionSunni IslamRelated ethnic groupsBengali Muslims Assamese Muslims Mahimal Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Internal migration to Assam 3 Demography 4 Language 5 Discrimination 6 Poetry 7 Notable people 8 See also 9 Notes 10 ReferencesEtymology editThe nomenclature Miya finds its etymological roots in mian an honorific of Persian origin commonly employed throughout the Indian subcontinent when addressing a Muslim gentleman Originally utilized in a derogatory manner against the aforementioned community the term has undergone a process of re appropriation by a cadre of Miya poets who are actively asserting their cultural identity 5 Presently Miya or Miya Musalman has entered the sphere of serious discourse 6 Concurrently the term Na Asamiya as articulated in the Assamese language conveys the literal meaning of neo Assamese This term was adopted by the community and forced the local elites in Assam as a means of establishing a connection with the region by pushing political power backed by the Indian National Congress and AIUDF during their tenure and creating a new identity which didn t existed before 3 Furthermore an alternative designation for this community is Charua Musalman signifying Muslims residing in the chars riverine islands a preference evident in their settlement patterns They are also referred to as Pamua Musalman denoting Muslim farmers given that agriculture serves as their primary source of livelihood 7 History editInternal migration to Assam edit The internal migration of Bengali Muslims from Rajshahi Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions of British Bengal presidency present Bangladesh to Kamrup present Assam started during the census decade of 1901 1911 8 According to census reports there was a large scale migration of human population from eastern Bengal to Assam between 1911 and 1941 9 85 of the immigrant population were socially and economically underprivileged Muslims who settled down in the wastelands of Assam 9 The majority of the internal migrants came from the erstwhile undivided Mymensingh and Rangpur districts of present Bangladesh What were territories of Kamrupa Kingdom 10 The internal migration of Muslims peasants from East Bengal of former Pakistan was officially encouraged prior to the Partition of India by the British imperialists the All India Muslim League as well as a section of the Assamese elite bit it was only considered illegal after the Partition of India in 1947 when Assam belonged to India and East Bengal to Pakistan 11 better source needed Many of these migrant Muslims settled on the chars or riverine islands on the Brahmaputra and other low lying areas After the Independence of India in 1947 the group gave up their Bengali linguistic identity adopting the Assamese language as their native language Gradually they adopted Assamese culture which has led to them being known as Na Asamiya Neo Assamese who are Bengali origin The Na Asamiyas constitute the largest of the four major Muslim ethnic groups in Assam who together constitute a third of Assam s electorate 12 The local gentry of Assam including matabbars Barpetia matigiris Marwaris and Assamese moneylenders encouraged the internal migration out of their own interests The matabbars literally meaning influential person in Bengali were the earlier migrants who owned large amounts of fallow cultivable lands ranging from 1 000 to 5 000 acres With the ambition of becoming landlords they would send out the message of availability of cultivable lands to their impoverished kinsmen in their native villages in eastern Bengal They would then either unofficially lease out their lands to the internal migrant Muslims who arrived later or hire them to cultivate their lands Thus they would act as de facto landlords The Barpetia matigiris were a section of Assamese gentry in Barpeta district who made profit by selling excess lands to the internal migrant Muslims and encouraged further migration to make even quicker profits The Marwaris and the Assamese money lenders financed the internal migrant Muslims for the cultivation of jute ahu rice pulses and vegetables Demography editMiyas have a population of almost over 10 million which is spread throughout Assam covering 35 of the state population as of 2021 estimation 13 though they are mainly concentrated in Barpeta Dhuburi Goalpara Kamrup Nagaon Hojai Darrang Chirang Kokrajhar South Salmara Nalbari Morigaon Sonitpur and Bongaigaon 14 15 1 Language editIn the Presidential address of the 1940 Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Jorhat Dr Moidul Islam Bora an Assamese Muslim himself happily noted that a community leader from the migrant Muslim community had proudly acknowledged the community s firm resolution become the part of mainstream Assamese culture After the Partition of India the Muslim League dissolved the party in Assam and asked the Muslim people to join the Congress 9 The Muslim League leadership proposed that the Muslims should accept the language and culture of the country of their residence 9 Accordingly the leadership asked the Muslims of Assam to register themselves as Assamese speaking during the census The leadership also asked the Muslims to identify themselves as Assamese and send their children to Assamese medium schools 9 As directed by the Muslim League leadership the migrant Muslims gave up their linguistic identity and adopted Assamese as their language In the 1951 census the no of Assamese speakers in Assam rose to 56 7 9 Gradually the Assamese intelligentsia also began to accept the migrant Muslims in the fold of Assamese identity Benudhar Sharma President of 1956 Assam Sahitya Sabha held at Dhubri felt that the mainstream Assamese people were happy to welcome the internal migrant Muslims into the Assamese fold just like the Koch Kachari and Ahoms By this time the migrant Muslims began to establish Assamese medium schools and colleges attempting to merge themselves into the mainstream of Assamese culture 9 In 1961 the Census Commissioner reported that the Na Asamiyas were honest in their intent to learn the Assamese language and send their children to Assamese medium schools The migrant Muslims thus came to be known as the Na Asamiyas To this day there is not a single Bengali medium school in the areas dominated by the Na Asamiyas 16 With the official acceptance of Assamese language and close proximity to Goalpariya speakers the Miya have gradually also developed a creole Miya home language The Miya officially adopted the Assamese language during the language movement 17 clarification needed In formal and official meetings they are able to switch to Standard Assamese Discrimination edit2 Communal Rights 19505 Nellie massacre 19836 Nagabanda Chaulkhowa massacre 19837 Amtenga Tuslijora massacre 19918 Bashbari massacre 19949 Naryanguri massacre 201210 Udalguri massacre 2008Thousands of such discrimination can found if it is searched 18 Poetry editNumerous scholars affiliated with the Miya community are actively engaged in endeavors aimed at the amelioration of Miya society primarily through the medium of Miya poetry 19 A central objective of this literary pursuit is the reclamation of the term Miya which frequently assumes a pejorative connotation when used by non Muslims 4 The thematic orientation of Miya poetry converges on addressing multifaceted challenges such as poverty population growth and the promotion of literacy within the Miya community Notably the emergence of Miya poetry has generated controversy in the socio cultural landscape of Assam particularly eliciting responses from the indigenous populace The inception of this movement can be traced back to the publication of Write Down I am a Miya by Hafiz Ahmed in 2016 20 The ensuing discourse surrounding Miya poetry has led to accusations both in media discourse and formal complaints to law enforcement agencies characterizing this literary expression as anti Assamese notwithstanding its composition in the Assamese language 21 22 23 Notable people editHafiz Ahmed born 1962 social activist Osman Ali Sadagar 1856 1948 politician and educationist Abdul Halim born 1980 social activist politician educationistSee also editIllegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal Act 1983Notes edit a b From history to lungis How this Assam politician is battling for a distinct Miya Muslim identity scroll in 20 March 2022 Singh Bikash Assam s indigenous Muslims may soon get a development board The Economic Times a b c Saikia Yasmin 3 September 2021 Muslim Belonging in Assam History Politics and the Future South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies 44 5 868 887 doi 10 1080 00856401 2021 1962061 ISSN 0085 6401 a b Dasgupta Sneharshi 29 October 2022 The Politics of Identity in Assam Deaths Defiance and Doubtful Voters TravellersUniversity Retrieved 27 January 2024 Daniyal Shoaib 14 July 2019 I am Miya Why poetry by Bengal origin Muslims in their mother tongue is shaking up Assam Scroll in Retrieved 27 January 2024 Kumar Aletta Andre Abhimanyu Protest poetry Assam s Bengali Muslims take a stand Al Jazeera Retrieved 27 January 2024 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Wouters Jelle J P Subba Tanka Bahadur eds 2023 The Routledge companion to Northeast India London New York Routledge ISBN 978 1 003 28554 0 Baruah 1999 p 56 The disappointment of the nineteenth century colonial officials however gave way to optimism by 1911 as dramatic trends of migration began to appear just prior to that census a b c d e f g Ahmed Shahiuz Zaman 2006 Identity Issue Foreigner s Deportation Movement and Erstwhile East Bengal Present Bangladesh Origin People of Assam Proceedings of the Indian History Congress Indian History Congress 67 2006 2007 624 639 JSTOR 44147982 Sharma 2011 p 100 Entire households moved into Assam from the East Bengal districts of Mymensingh Pabna Bogra Rangpur and Rajshahi Miya Muslim and Assamese Socio Political History of Assam Indilens com 7 September 2016 Retrieved 27 March 2019 Bhaumik Subir April 2011 Risk of durable disorder Seminar New Delhi Seminar Publications 620 Retrieved 10 July 2017 The JSPA claims Assam today has about 1 4 crore Muslims as of 2021 The Hindu 15 April 2021 Dehumanising Muslims in Assam thehoot org 23 December 2016 Retrieved 27 March 2019 https web archive org web 20190327145905 https indilens com 514954 miya muslim and assamese socio cultural history of assam Miya on History Wadud Aman 21 May 2016 All Hindu Consolidation or the last battle to protect Assamese Identity Assam Polls Results Sabrang Retrieved 13 July 2017 East Bengal rooted Muslim or Miyah and Line System in Assam 1920 Indilens com 11 December 2016 Retrieved 27 March 2019 https www uml edu news stories 2022 dutta miya research aspx Miya People Losing Indian Citizenship Facing Mass Detentions Miya Poetry Economic and Political Weekly 57 17 23 April 2022 Baishya Amit R 21 March 2020 Multipartner Mud Dances The Uneventful Entanglement of Humans and Animals in Two Assamese Poems Cafe Dissensus No 4 Zaidi Annie 2020 Bread Cement Cactus A Memoir of Belonging and Dislocation Cambridge University Press pp 59 60 ISBN 9781108840644 Interview There is a Conspiracy to Show Bengal Origin Muslims as Anti Assamese Hafiz Ahmed The Wire Retrieved 27 July 2019 আস ম র ম ঞ কব ত র ইত হ স ভ গ ল ও দ শপ র ম The Indian Express Opinion References editBaruah Sanjib 1999 India Against Itself Assam and the Politics of Nationality Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 565840 8 Baruah Sanjib 2020 In the Name of the Nation India and Its Northeast Stanford University Press ISBN 9781503611290 Khandakar Abdullah 2016 Social Exclusion of Inhabitants of Chars A Study of Dhubri District in Assam PDF M Phil Retrieved 10 July 2017 Sharma Jayeeta 2011 Empire s Garden Assam and the making of India Durham and London Duke University Press ISBN 978 0 8223 5049 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miya people amp oldid 1213477949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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