Assam will become a Muslim majority state by 2041: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam will become a Muslim majority state by 2041, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here on Friday, days after he claimed in Jharkhand that the state's Muslim population spiralled due to infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

"The 2011 Census found Muslim population in Assam at 36 per cent. The population of the Muslims is growing at 29 to 30 per cent every 10 years. So if this trend continues, the state will become Muslim majority by 2041. This is a reality in Assam and none can stop this," Sarma said. 

Sarma said the population of the Hindus, on the other hand, was growing at 16 per cent every 10 years.

"Hindus send their children to good English and Assamese medium schools and they want their children to become engineers, doctors and professors. They don't go for more children. Muslims, on the other hand, still give birth to multiple children and many can't even send them to school. There are multiple factors leading to population growth," he said.

'Let Rahul Gandhi become an ambassador of popualtion control'

When asked what is the solution, Sarma said until the political class becomes part of the efforts to arrest the growth of Muslim population, nothing much can be expected.

"Politicians will not go for more than two children. But when they go out seeking votes, they will not ask the Muslim voters to go for population control. Congress has a big responsibility in this regard. Let Rahul Gandhi become an ambassador of popualtion control. Because the Muslims listens to him and they don't trust me when I try to ecnourage them to check population," he said.

 Sarma's statement came days after he told reporters at Ranchi that Assam's Muslim population stood at 40 per cent and indigenous people became minorities in several districts due to infiltration from Bangladesh. Sarma alerted the indigenous people of Jharkahnd against the infiltrators.