Muslim population in Assam reaches 40%: Matter of life and death for me, says CM Himanta

Assam chief minister Himanta Sarma

Highlighting the state’s changing demography, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the Muslim population now stands at 40 per cent and it is a big concern for him.

“Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, Muslim population has reached 40% today. In 1951, it was 12%. We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me,” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was quoted by ANI as saying. “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 been seen commenting on the Muslim community. During the Lok Sabha campaign, Sarma said the BJP does not want to win in Dhubri, which is a Muslim-significant constituency in western Assam.

#WATCH | Ranchi | Assam CM & BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "...Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, Muslim population has reached 40% today. In 1951, it was 12%. We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and… pic.twitter.com/N11lpEGUfg

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2024

On July 1, Sarma without mentioning any community had said that criminal activities by a section of people from a “particular religion” were a matter of concern.

"I am not saying that crime is committed only by people of a particular religion but recent incidents since the just concluded Lok Sabha elections is a matter of concern," Sarma was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

On June 23, Sarma claimed that Bangladeshi minority community members voted for Congress in the Lok Sabha elections , without considering the development work done by the BJP-led governments in the state and Centre.

He also said the Bangladeshi-origin minority community is the only one in Assam which indulges in communalism.