Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday claimed that the Muslim population in the state is significantly growing while Hindus now only contribute 40 per cent of the state's total population. Echoing Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement, Sarma claimed that the Muslim population is increasing in the state due to “infiltration”, PTI reported.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, Sarma said the state has witnessed a sharp shift in its population composition, and termed the Centre's proposed Demography Mission a significant step towards addressing the issue.
"Assam has been a big victim of demographic change. In 2021, the Muslim population crossed 38 per cent, and as we speak, it is about 39.5 per cent of the state population," he said.
He claimed that districts like Majuli, known as the seat of Vaishnavite culture and the world's largest inhabited river island, have seen 100 per cent growth in the Muslim population. He claimed that the increase was not due to natural growth among local Muslims, but because of infiltrators.
"These figures are based on projections over the 2011 Census data. We are concerned about the situation," he said.
He also cited Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement in Delhi, claiming that the rise in the Muslim population was not just due to internal growth but also due to people coming from outside.
"The central government will form a high-power committee under this mission to detect, delete, and deport infiltrators. It is for the first time that the government of India has spoken in such clear terms," Sarma said.
Sarma claimed on Friday that 'Miya-Muslims' (Bengali-speaking Muslims) will emerge as the largest community in the state in the next census, constituting more than 38 per cent of the population.
'Miya' is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, and the non-Bengali-speaking people generally identify them as Bangladeshi immigrants.