Muslim population in Assam at 40% is a matter of life and death: CM Sarma

The rising Muslim population in Assam is a matter of “life and death for me”, said state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the media in Ranchi today.

“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,” Chief Minister Sarma said.

“This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me,” he added.

Chief Minister Sarma, over the weeks, has sharpened his attacks on the Muslim community- sometimes even without mentioning it directly.

Chief Minister Sarma, on July 1, without mentioning any community, had said that criminal activities by a section of a people from a ‘particular religion’ were a matter of concern.

Chief Minister Sarma emphasized that while he wasn’t suggesting that crime is exclusive to any particular religion, he expressed concern over recent incidents following the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier on June 23, the chief minister alleged that members of the Bangladeshi minority community had voted for Congress in the elections, overlooking the developmental efforts of BJP-led governments at the state and central levels.

He further remarked that the Bangladeshi-origin minority community in Assam is singular in its involvement in communal activities.