Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that if the current rate of population growth continues, the Muslim population in the state could become nearly equal to the Hindu population by 2041.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Dibrugarh, Sarma referred to data from the 2011 Census, which recorded Muslims as comprising 34 percent of Assam’s total population. He added that around 31 percent of them were individuals who had migrated to the state in earlier years.

When asked whether the indigenous Assamese community might become a minority in the coming years, Sarma responded, “This is not my personal view. These are figures from the Census. As per the 2011 data, Muslims make up 34 percent of the population in Assam.”