Assam will become Muslim-majority state by 2041, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Friday that the state is on track to become a Muslim-majority region by 2041, citing statistical evidence from the Indian census to support his claim.

"These are not my personal opinions but derived from factual data in the Indian census. This statistic may sound rhetorical coming from me," Sarma stated during a media address.

The Chief Minister highlighted that in 2010-11, Muslims made up 36 percent of Assam's population. "What will be their percentage rise between 2011 and 2021 and then from 2021 to 2031? This is a statistical sampling and anyone can verify this data on Google," he explained to the reporters.

Sarma's controversial remarks coincided with the state cabinet's decision to present The Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the legislative assembly. This bill aims to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, and the associated registration rules from the same year.

"You can check online what the Muslim population in Assam was in 2011, then compare it with figures from 2001, 1991, and 1981. The Muslim population has been increasing in Assam by approximately 30 percent each decade," Sarma noted. "The population percentage was around 35 percent, dropped to 34 percent, and then to 29 percent. Despite these fluctuations, every decade has seen an approximate 29 to 30 percent rise."

In 2011, Assam had a Muslim population of 1.4 crore. "During the same period, the Hindu population also increased. However, the Muslim population rose by 16 percent more than the Hindu population, adding up to 22 lakh Muslims each decade," he detailed.

Sarma concluded, "If you analyze the population data of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc., you will see this published information. By 2041, Assam is projected to become a Muslim-majority state, and neither you nor I can alter this reality."