- Indigenous Assamese risk becoming minority due to rising illegal immigrant population, Himanta Sarma said
- Minority population in Assam was 34% in 2011, projected to near 50% soon, he said
- About 9 lakh acres of government, forest and satra land are currently encroached in Assam
Assam Chief Minister Himanta today said indigenous Assamese people face the threat of becoming minority in their own state due to what the BJP has been claiming "population explosion" of illegal immigrants of Bengali Muslim-origin from Bangladesh.
Mr Sarma said that based on empirical data and past census records, the minority population in the state is projected to reach nearly 50 per cent in the coming years.
Citing the 2011 census, Mr Sarma said minorities currently constitute 34 per cent of Assam's population.
Excluding the 3 per cent indigenous Assamese Muslims, he said the figure of Muslims who migrated to the state stands at 31 per cent.
"If you project that on the basis of 2021 and trends seen in 2031, you arrive at an almost 50-50 population position. This is not my take. I am just stating what is in the statistical census report," the chief minister said.
To a question by the media on Wednesday, Mr Sarma said that despite his best efforts, to the point where his "life will end", it would not be easy to clear large hectares of encroached land in Assam. He referred to the state government's drive against encroachment of government, forest and satra lands in the state.
"29 lakhs bighas (9 lakh acres) of land were encroached upon in Assam till today. My life will finish, but it will not get vacated. An eviction drive will soon begin at Uriamghat in Golaghat. Encroached land will be clear in eastern Assam," He said.
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