Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that that the Miya Muslim population will emerge as the largest community in the state in the next census.
Sarma said the population of Miya Muslims is projected to reach 38 per cent of the total state population and they will emerge as the single largest community.
Miyas in Assam are Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), a section which is seen as a threat to the indigenous populace.
“This is the truth. That is, why over the past five years, we have worked to protect our people’s interests and secure their future,” Sarma said.
He then spoke about introducing two important bills in the upcoming state Assembly session. “I don’t want to reveal about the bills, but this will be aimed at securing our jati mati bheti (land, community and social foundation).”
According to the 2011 census, the Muslim population in Assam was 34 per cent out of the total population of 3.12 crore. However, there were no segregation on the basis of indigenous Muslims or Miya Muslims.
