Assam CM warns of demographic ‘takeover’, claims Bangladesh-origin Muslim population may hit 40% by 2027

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday claimed that the population of Muslims of Bangladeshi origin in the state could rise to around 40 per cent by the time the next Census report is published in 2027, what he termed as a population ‘takeover’.Addressing BJP workers at a party event in Guwahati, Sarma referred to Census 2011 data, which put Assam’s Muslim population at 34 per cent, and projected an increase in the coming years. He specifically referred to Bengali-speaking Muslims of Bangladesh origin, often referred to as “Miya”, a term considered pejorative in Assam. The state also has an indigenous Muslim population. “According to Census 2011, Muslim population in Assam was 34%. The population of Bangladeshi-origin Miya Muslims will be around 40% in Assam when Census 2027 report is published,” Sarma said. Sarma attributed the alleged demographic change to what he described as the Congress party’s “weaknesses” and its “politics of appeasement”, claiming this had led to the emergence of another “civilisation” with a population of 1.5 crore in Assam. “When I joined student politics from the platform of All Assam Students’ Union, the population of Bangladeshi-origin Muslims in Assam was 21% which is now touching 40%. I have seen this growth myself. My children will see Assamese population dropping to 30-35% with their own eyes,” Sarma said.



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