Demographic changes happening in Assam due to increase in Muslim population: Chief Minister Sarma

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the unrest in Bangladesh has increased the influx of Muslims through the borders along the northeast states. Sarma said the government will come up with a white paper by April-May next year on the 'demographic changes' in Assam due to the 'increase' in Muslim population and 'decrease' in the number of Hindus.

He claimed demographic changes were happening fast in some parts like the Lower Assam districts and it could lead to "unprecedented human disaster".

"The Hindu-Muslim issue is the most burning issue in the state today; we need to debate and resolve it," Sarma said in the assembly. "There has to be reconciliation and discussions have to take place... As home minister, I will not allow communal problems. I don't know how much time I have. But I will speak the truth," he said.


He claimed that no communal riots took place during BJP regimes nor under the AGP or Janata Party governments in the state, but "only when the Congress" was in power.

"Hindus are leaving 'Miya' Muslim areas from Lower and Central Assam... In districts like Dhubri, South Salmara, Morigaon, Mangaldai, Hindus are leaving, but the Muslim population is increasing in Golaghat, Kamrup, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur."

"No Muslim is facing harassment in Hindu-majority areas. But I have proof of Hindus facing problems in 'Miya'-dominated areas. Rohingyas are entering through Tripura," he claimed.

Reacting to this, a joint forum of 18 Opposition parties, led by Congress, lodged a police complaint against Sarma accusing him of promoting enmity between different religious groups and race in the assembly on Tuesday.