Guwahati, Nov 10: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday highlighted an “economic shift” in the state, noting that the Muslim community is becoming increasingly prosperous alongside ongoing demographic changes.

Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting in Guwahati, Sarma cited data from 2001 to 2011 showing a decline in the growth rate of the Hindu population across various blocks in Assam, while the Muslim population continues to rise. He remarked that this trend could indicate the beginning of what he described as the “surrender of the Assamese people.”

The Chief Minister also discussed land sale trends, stating that there is a higher rate of land sales from Hindus to Muslims, while transactions in the opposite direction remain low. He clarified that many of these transactions involve Assamese and indigenous Muslims, and the government does not have any issues with such cases.

Sarma further noted that the changes extend beyond demographics to wealth patterns. “So far, we thought the change was only in numbers, but now we see wealth creation patterns have also altered,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he plans to hold a detailed press conference later to present data and elaborate on the issue. The state government last year made it mandatory for all land sale transactions between Hindus and Muslims to receive prior approval from the Chief Minister’s Office.