Muslim Population Is 40% In Assam Now, Demography Matter of Life & Death for Me: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Ranchi: Expressing serious concerns regarding demographic changes in the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the Muslim population in the state (Assam) now stands at 40 per cent. “Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, Muslim population has reached 40% today. In 1951, it was 12%. We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me”, said Sarma.   

Later, speaking to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, Sarma said, "The demographic changes are happening rapidly in Assam, Tripura, and Bengal. The Hindu community has become a minority in 12 to 14 districts in Assam".   

This isn’t the first instance of the Assam CM making explicit comments about a specific religion or community. On July 1, Sarma expressed concern about criminal activities linked to individuals from a particular religion, though he did not specify any community. He clarified that his remarks were not intended to imply that crime is exclusive to any single religion, but noted that recent incidents since the Lok Sabha elections were alarming.

Prior to that on June 23, Sarma alleged that members of the Bangladeshi minority community had voted for Congress in the elections, overlooking the development efforts by BJP-led governments at both the state and national levels. He also claimed that this minority community was distinct in Assam for its involvement in communalism.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-AGP-UPPL coalition secured 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, while Congress won the remaining three. The BJP and its allies saw a decline in their share of seats in the northeastern states, winning 15 out of 24. Opposition Congress increased its tally to seven seats from four previously. Sarma remarked, "A particular religion openly went against our government in those states, and that religion has a significant following there. So that has made a difference. It is not a political defeat, because nobody can fight with a religion."