GG News Bureau
Dibrugarh, 11th Oct: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that Bengali-speaking Muslims, popularly referred to as ‘Miyas’, will emerge as the largest community in the state in the next census.
“When the next census is completed and the results come, take it from me that Miya-Muslims will be 38 percent of the population in the state. They will be the largest community. This is the reality of Assam now,” Sarma told reporters.
‘Miya’ is traditionally a pejorative term for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, often identified as Bangladeshi immigrants by non-Bengali-speaking locals. In recent years, some members of the community have embraced the term as a gesture of defiance.
The Chief Minister said the BJP-led government is taking steps to safeguard the interests of indigenous communities and announced that two key legislations will be introduced in the next Assembly session to protect “our people, land, and homes.”
Sarma added, “The situation would not have come to such a pass if the work being done in the last five years had been initiated 30 years ago. We have to keep the Miyas under pressure, and if that can be done for a sustained period, the situation will improve.”
The Chief Minister’s remarks echo his earlier concerns about alleged encroachments by outsiders in Assam, a sentiment also expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit last month, who pointed to a demographic challenge caused by illegal settlement supported by political parties for votes.
The proposed legislations in the upcoming Assembly session are expected to focus on protecting indigenous communities, their lands, and cultural identity amid growing demographic changes in the state.
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