Demographic changes in Assam, Bengal, J&K, Kerala aided rise of fundamentalist forces: Himanta

Indicating that the activities of fundamentalist forces are growing in Assam, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that major demographic changes in the state provided a fertile ground for the rise of these forces.

"Major demographic changes have taken place in Assam, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala which has made these places natural ground for the rise of fundamentalist organisations," he said while interacting with newsmen on the sidelines of a programme here.

He said that the government is also keeping a close watch on those giving anti-India slogan. "We are watching this and those giving anti-India slogans will not be spared," the Minister added.

On the arrest of Rohingya Muslims from Assam, he said the government has asked the police to keep a watch on strangers.

"Some Rohingyas have been arrested from different parts of Assam in the past few weeks. We have asked the police to take action against unknown people. Even the locals have been asked to inform about the presence of unknown people in their locality," Sarma said.

Three Rohingya Muslims were detained by the police on Sunday from Lumding railway station in Hojai district. They have admitted that they had escaped from the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh and entered India through international borders in Tripura.

On pre-poll alliance, the Minister said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma had met him recently and requested him to rethink over having an alliance with Assam's regional political party, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

While the National People's Party (NPP) of Meghalaya, which is a partner of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the AGP broke away from the alliance in Assam after the BJP went ahead with the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha.

"A decision in this regard will be taken by the party's national leadership," said Sarma.

Although the AGP broke away from the BJP-led alliance in Assam and three of its ministers resigned, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is yet to forward their resignations to the Governor for his approval.

--IANS

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