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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (Image credit: PTI/File)
Sarma, who is also the BJP's co-incharge for the Jharkhand elections, made the remarks on the sidelines of a gathering in Ranchi, Jharkhand
Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the state's Muslim population has now risen to 40 per cent, calling demographic change a “big problem” in the northeastern state “.
Sarma, who is also the BJP's co-incharge for the Jharkhand elections, made the remarks on the sidelines of a party meeting here.
“I am from Assam and demographic change is a big issue for me. The Muslim population in my state is now 40%, compared to 12% in 1951.
Earlier, while addressing party workers, he claimed that the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators was 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.
In a scathing attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Sarma accused him of turning Jharkhand into “mini Bangladesh”.
“Infiltrators come to Jharkhand and marry tribal girls to seize their land. I appeal to Jharkhand to enact a law stating that tribal girls cannot marry infiltrators,” he said.
He also claimed that there was no progress during the rule of the JMM-led alliance government.
“No university or engineering college has been opened in the state in the past five years. Development work has come to a standstill. The youth are neither getting jobs nor unemployment benefits,” he claimed.
Sarma said the NDA won nine of the 14 seats in Jharkhand and was leading in the Lok Sabha polls in 51 assembly seats.
(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from United News Agency-PTI)
