CM Himanta Biswa said… If infiltrators increase by 10 percent, Assam will also become a part of Bangladesh.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday expressed concern over the serious demographic impact of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. He warned that if this trend is not stopped, Assam may have to face serious political and regional consequences. Speaking to reporters after attending an official event, Sarma said the issue of demographic change has been a major concern for him for the last five years. He claimed that people of Bangladeshi origin currently constitute about 40 per cent of Assam’s population and warned that any further increase could put the state in a highly vulnerable situation.

About 40 percent of the population in Assam is of Bangladeshi origin.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while replying to questions on recent developments in Bangladesh, said that about 40 percent of the population in Assam is of Bangladeshi origin. If it increases further by 10 percent, Assam will automatically join Bangladesh. That is why I have been continuously raising this issue for the last five years. Sarma’s comments come in the context of a controversial statement given this month by Bangladesh’s newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah.

Counterattack on NCP leader’s statement
Abdullah reportedly said that if India attempted to destabilize Bangladesh, Dhaka should isolate India’s northeastern states and support separatist elements in the region. The NCP leader had also described India’s northeastern region as geographically weak and pointed out its dependence on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the ‘chicken neck’, which connects the northeast with the rest of the country. Reacting sharply to these statements, Sarma reiterated that uncontrolled illegal immigration poses a serious threat not only to the demographic balance of Assam but also to the national security, political stability and constitutional integrity of the North-East.

‘There should be immediate solution’
He said that the demographic changes caused by illegal migration will have long-term consequences and should be addressed immediately. The Chief Minister also stressed the need for strict and sustained measures to protect the territorial integrity of Assam and safeguard the rights and identity of the indigenous communities. He said the state government is committed to working closely with the Center to prevent any threat to the future of Assam. Sarma further said that vigilance and decisive action is necessary to ensure peace, stability and unity in the region amid regional and geopolitical challenges.