Assam's Muslim population will match Hindus by 2041, says CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the population of Muslims in Assam will be almost equal to that of the Hindus by 2041 if the current growth rate is maintained.

Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma claimed that out of around 34 per cent Muslims as per the 2011 Census, 31 per cent were those who had migrated to Assam earlier.

When asked if Assamese indigenous people will become a minority after some years, he said, "This is not my take, it is just the Census result. Today as per the 2011 Census, 34 per cent of the population is Muslim."  Out of the total Muslim population of the state, three per cent are indigenous Assamese Muslims, Sarma stated.

"...then the 31 per cent are the Muslims who had migrated to Assam. And if you project that for 2021, 2031 and 2041, you will come to almost a 50:50 position. I am just stating what the statistical census report says," he claimed.

The CM said that empirical data and past census records show that in a few years from now, Assam's Muslim population will be close to 50 per cent.

According to the 2011 Census, Assam had a total Muslim population of 1.07 crore, making up 34.22 per cent of the total 3.12 crore residents of the state. There were 1.92 crore Hindus in the state, around 61.47 per cent of the total population.

The BJP has been regularly highlighting the demographic change, stating that at least nine districts became Muslim majority as per 2011 Census, up from six in 2001 and the number has increased to at least 11 at present, although the 2021 census report is yet to be prepared.

In 2001, when Assam had 23 districts, Muslims were in majority in six -- Dhubri (74.29), Goalpara (53.71), Barpeta (59.37), Nagaon (51), Karimganj (52.3) and Hailakandi (57.63).

The number of districts increased to 27 in 2011 and nine out of them had Muslim majority. These were Dhubri (79.67), Goalpara (57.52), Barpeta (70.74), Morigaon (52.56), Nagaon (55.36), Karimganj (56.36), Hailakandi (60.31), Bongaigaon (50.22) and Darrang (64.34).

When asked about the eviction drives, Sarma claimed that around 29 lakh bighas (almost 10 lakh acres) of land are under encroachment in the state.

"Eviction drives will continue... (but) I cannot do planning for so much land. My lifespan will be over, but then also the entire encroached land will not be vacated," he added.

On Monday, Sarma had claimed that these huge amounts of land were under encroachment of "illegal Bangladeshis and doubtful citizens" in the state.

He had also claimed that his government came under "international pressure" to put a stop to eviction drives after the operation at Gorukhuti in Darrang district soon after assuming power in 2021, but people were not dissuaded.