The Assam government revealed on Thursday that it has detected over 47,900 foreigners in the state between 1971 and 2014, with more than 43 percent identified as Hindus. The disclosure was made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in response to a query from AGP MLA Ponakan Baruah.
According to Sarma, the Foreigners Tribunal has declared a total of 47,928 individuals as foreigners during this period. The breakdown includes 27,309 Muslims, 20,613 Hindus, and six individuals from other religious backgrounds. The district of Cachar recorded the highest number of detected foreigners, totaling 10,152. Of these, 8,139 were Hindus and 2,013 were Muslims.
Sarma also referenced the Assam Accord, which mandates that all foreigners arriving in the state after March 25, 1971, be identified and removed from electoral rolls, with measures taken for their deportation. The Chief Minister highlighted census data showing that Assamese speakers constitute 48.38 percent of the state’s 3.12 crore residents, while Bengali speakers make up 28.92 percent.
Addressing concerns raised by Baruah regarding the increase in non-Assamese speaking populations and its effects on indigenous communities, Sarma assured that the government is closely monitoring the situation to address any potential impacts.
