Spelling Slip Sparks Outrage: Ministry of Culture Apologises After ‘Husori’ and ‘Bihu’ Blunder

Guwahati: A recent social media post by the Ministry of Culture has drawn sharp criticism in Assam after it misspelled two of the most well-known cultural practices of the state Husori and Bihu on its official Facebook page.

The post now removed but appeared in the form of a quiz. It asked the users to identify the state associated with "Husari and Bihuna" saying that it is a region where tea is produced. As the answer was obviously Assam, the misspellings were not unnoticed: there was "Husari" in place of Husori and "Bihuna" in place of Bihu.

The mistakes were soon met with anger on the internet. The lapse was described as careless and disrespectful by many social media users and how a ministry that handles the cultural heritage of India could make such fundamental errors, was a question most of them wanted to know. It was demanded by netizens that more attention should be paid and fact-checking should be done, especially when it involves traditions that have a strong emotional and cultural connection.

Some of the people who raised an alarm included renowned filmmaker and commentator of culture, Utpal Borpujari. He emphasized that there should be more care taken by the official communication channels, particularly with matters which are closely related to the regional identity. Unintentional errors, he asserted, do not only hurt, but can also lead to misinform audiences.

As criticism mounted, the Ministry of Culture posted an apology on its Facebook account where it admitted the error and expressed regret over the incorrect spelling. The ministry explained that the post was removed and that more attention would be paid in order to avoid such mistakes in future. It also appreciated those who brought out the inaccuracies.

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