Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the Muslim population in his state has increased to 40 per cent and asserted that demographic change in the northeastern state is a “big issue”.
Sarma, BJP’s Jharkhand election co-incharge, made the remarks on the sidelines of a party meeting here.
“I come from Assam and change in demography is a big issue for me. “In my state, the Muslim population is now around 40 per cent, up from 12 per cent in 1951. This is not a political issue for me, but a matter of life and death.
Earlier, addressing party workers, he alleged that the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators is increasing in the tribal areas of Jharkhand. He said the BJP will include a strong action plan against infiltrators in its manifesto for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections.
Launching a scathing attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Sarma accused him of turning Jharkhand into a “mini-Bangladesh”.
“Infiltrators come to Jharkhand and marry tribal girls and grab their land. Demand a law in Jharkhand which should have a provision that tribal girls cannot marry infiltrators. He also alleged that there was no development during the JMM-led coalition government’s rule.
“In the last five years, no university or engineering college was opened in the state. Development work came to a standstill. The youth were neither given jobs nor unemployment allowance. Sarma said the NDA won nine of the 14 seats in Jharkhand and took lead in 51 assembly segments in the Lok Sabha polls.