Guwahati: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on July 23 made a shocking revelation and said that Bangladeshi origin Muslims constitute 31 percent of the population which means the state has over 1 crore Bangladeshi Muslims.
Talking to the media after the cabinet meeting in Dibrugarh in upper Assam, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed deep concern about the ever-changing demography of Assam. He said going by the 2011 census data, Muslims are over 34 percent of the population and only 3 percent are Assamese speaking Muslims. Which means the state has over 1 crore migrant Muslims of Bangladesh origin. Going by the trends of previous population growth amongst Bangladeshi origin Muslims, by 2041 census Muslim population of the state will be half of the total population. He said, “This is not my take, it is the statistical census report.
According to the 2011 census the total population of the state is 3.12 crores. 31 percent of the population means there are approximately 97 lakhs Bangladeshi Muslims. The 2021 census which is due would bring the exact numbers of Bangladeshi Muslim population in the state. Going by previous data the population of Bangladeshi Muslims will well pass the 1.25 crores mark. CM Sarma said, “Empirical data and past census records show that in a few years from now, Assam’s minority population will be close to 50 per cent!”
It should be mentioned that the unhindered influx from Bangladesh to Assam during the long Congress rule in the state and center made Assam a safe haven for the migrants. Political patronising and votebank politics of Congress pushed the future of the state to a potential danger with time.
