Assam will become a Muslim-majority state by 2041 and the Muslim population has now become 40 per cent of Assam’s population as per “statistical sampling”, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed.
NEW DELHI – Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that the state will become a Muslim-majority by 2041 and said the Muslim population was growing around 30 per cent every 10 years.
Sarma said Muslims have now become 40 per cent of Assam’s population as per “statistical sampling”.
“The increase in the population of Muslims in Assam is a statistical fact. The rate of population increase of Muslims is much more than of Hindus and at this rate, they will be a majority by 2041,” he alleged.
Sarma also said the population of Hindus is rising by around 16 per cent every 10 years when compared to the growth of Muslims for the same period, India Today reported.
“Hindu population has increased by 16 per cent. Muslims constituted 1.40 crore of Assam’s population in 2011. There is an increase of 30 per cent of the Muslim population every 10 years. In every decade, the Muslim population is outstripping the Hindu population by 16 per cent. In every decade, there is an addition of 22 lakh Muslim population,” he said.
Sarma’s remark drew a sharp reaction from Congress leader and former MP Danish Ali, who accused the Chief Minister of spreading falsehoods and creating division among people. Citing census data, Ali said the Muslim population in Assam was about 25 per cent in 1951 and 34.22 per cent in 2011.
He attributed the apparent increase to the formation of new states from Assam’s territory, which included Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, where non-Muslim populations were in the majority.
“On the basis of 1951, the then Assam was a unified state, that is, four more states were formed out of it. Now it is obvious that the non-Muslim population was in the majority in these states, so the Muslim population was seen increasing in comparison to that,” Ali said.
Ali took a swipe at Sarma and quipped, “I would seriously recommend that if there is anyone in our country who deserves the biggest award for lies, it should be the Chief Minister of Assam.”
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi reminded Sarma of his own track record. Referring to the Lok Sabha election campaign, Gogoi said Sarma was seen “dancing and singing” in minority-dominated areas of Assam just two months ago.
“Clearly population was not a factor then. Unfortunately the BJP have no reply to the 2024 verdict. People of India have rejected the politics of mangalsutra and mandir,” Gogoi tweeted.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Assam Chief Minister said the state’s changing demography was a huge concern and said the issue for him was not political, but “a matter of life and death”.
“Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, the Muslim population has reached 40 per cent today. In 1951, it was 12 per cent,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He added, “We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me.”
Sarma has often spoken about population increase, particularly among the Muslim community in Assam, and has also announced plans to limit their population.
He has further spoken about the issue of illegal immigrants and taken action against encroachment in the state.
