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Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sushmita Dev has criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his recent statements regarding the Muslim population in Assam, accusing him of spreading misinformation to incite communal division.
According to Kashmir Media Service announcement issued on 19 July 2024, Chief Minister Sarma, speaking in Ranchi, alleged a dramatic rise in the Muslim population of Assam, attributing it to illegal immigration from Bangladesh and describing the situation as a matter of life and death. “The Muslim population in my state is now 40 percent, which was 12 percent in 1951,” Sarma claimed, igniting political controversy.
In response, TMC’s Dev challenged Sarma’s figures on social media, highlighting discrepancies with historical data. “Government figures show that in 1951 itself there were 25% Muslims in Assam. I want to remind the chief minister that the census was to be done in 2021 which has not been done till date. Where did the figure of 40% come from?” Dev questioned, accusing the Assam CM of manipulating demographic data for political gain.
Dev also cautioned against using such divisive rhetoric, which she believes could exacerbate religious tensions, and called for Sarma to retract his statements. She underscored that the electorate has shown a rejection of communal politics, referencing recent electoral outcomes as evidence.
This is not the first instance of Sarma making controversial remarks about demographic changes in Assam, having previously commented on the electoral success of Congress candidate Rokibul Hussain in Dhubri as a cultural threat.
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