GUWAHAT : All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sushmita Dev has refuted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claim regarding the state’s Muslim population in 1951.  According to Dev, the Muslim population in Assam in 1951 was 25 per cent, not 12 per cent as stated by Sarma.

Taking to her social media handle, Sushmita Dev said, “A false statement has come to light from Assam CM from Jharkhand. Firstly I want to tell that according to government data in 1952, 25 per cent of the Muslim population was registered.

I want to remind Assam CM that the Indian Government was supposed to conduct the population census but given the Covid-19 excuse, the census to date has not taken place…then how did the 40 per cent figure come from? Thirdly the Assam CM failed to seal the Indo-Bangladesh border completely, as only 78 per cent has been sealed.”

This comes after, Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the Muslim population in his state has now risen to 40 per cent, contending that demographic change is a “big issue” in the northeastern state.

Sarma, who is also the BJP’s Jharkhand election co-in charge, made the comments on the sidelines of a party meeting here.

“I come from Assam and demographic change is a big issue for me. Muslim population in my state is 40 per cent now, which was 12 per cent in 1951. It is not a political issue for me, but a matter of life and death,” he told reporters.