Why Population Control Bill so important in Assam

Partha Pratim Mazumder

(parthapratimmazumder1988@gmail.com)

More than a couple of decades ago, in the late 1980s, when the militancy in Kashmir was building up to a peak, we are all worried about Jammu and Kashmir, but the situation of Assam is much more critical. We all know that the population growth experienced in India can largely be explained by variations in birth and death rates and the reasons that have contributed to high birth rates are early marriages, lack of awareness, poverty and illiteracy and illegal migration. The increasing difference in the decadal growth rates of the Muslim and Hindu population in Assam, as reflected in the last two censuses, was "dangerous" for which he wants to take along intellectuals and socio-political groups from the minority community in the state's plans for population control measures. According to the Census of 2001 and 2011, the Muslim population in Assam grew constant at a rate of 29% while the growth rate of Hindus dipped from 15% in the 2001 Census to 10% in the 2011 census. One can gauge how dangerous the difference between 29% and 10% is. It depends on people how they interpret these figures.

2021 is over. The country is ready for a census. Census takes place every 10 years in India. This calculates the population of the country. In this statistic, the census is also done on the basis of religion. How the next census can bring a picture to Assam can be understood by analysing it on the basis of the data of the previous census. According to the 2011 census, the average population growth in the country has increased by 18 per cent in the ten years from 2001 to 2011. The population of Islamic people has increased by more than 24 per cent in these ten years. Among the states where Muslims grew at a higher rate during the period, Assam was 3.3 per cent (30.9 per cent to 34.2 per cent), Uttaranchal 2 per cent (11.9 per cent to 13.9 per cent), Kerala III 1.9 per cent (24 .7 to 26.6), 4th West Bengal 1.8 per cent (25.2 to 27), 5th Goa 1.6 per cent (6.8 to 8.4), 6th Jammu and Kashmir 1.3 per cent (67 to 68.3), Haryana 7th (1.2 per cent, (5.8 to 7) and 8th Delhi 1.1 per cent (11.7 to 12.9. Manipur has declined by 0.4 per cent Muslim population. Now let us look at the context of Assam. According to the 2011 census report, the total population of Assam is 3,12,05,576. The population in the state has increased by 23.2 million in the last six decades as compared to the first census in 1951. Analysing 23.2 million people who have grown in these six decades on religious grounds can understand how dangerous the future of Assam is. Assam has grown in the Muslim population at 7.62 per cent in the decade. These figures prove that Assam continues to be motivated even after 1971 and the motivators continue to trend into progeny.

On the other hand, statistics show that the state's population has grown at a rapid rate since 1991. As of 2001, six of the 27 districts of Assam were of Muslim-majority. But in the 2011 census, the number of Muslim majority districts increased to 9. Looking at the ratio, it will be clear how the motivation has changed the demographics. Muslims constitute 79.67 per cent of the total population of the Dhubri district. Muslims constitute 60.31 per cent of the total population of Hailakandi. The Muslim population in the 11 districts of Assam is already alarmingly large. The districts are Dhubri, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Kamrup, Darang, Hailakandi, Nalbari, Karimganj, Nagaon and Morigaon.

Let's go back to the past a little bit. 41.5 per cent of the total population was Muslim as per the 1971 census in the Goalpara district. It increased to 57.62 per cent in 2011. Similarly, the Bongaigaon district, which had 27.8 per cent Muslims in 1971, was home to 50.22 per cent Muslims in 2011, and the Barpeta district from 48.6 per cent in 1971 to 70.74 per cent in 2011. Only 20.5 per cent of the total population in Kamrup district was Muslim in 1971. In 2011, it increased to 39.66 per cent. The Muslim population in Nalbari grew from 15.4 per cent to 35.96 per cent, and in the Nagaon district, it is from 39.2 per cent to 55.36 per cent. The Darang district had only 23.9 per cent of the total population as per the 1971 census. But in the 2011 census, the figure increased to 64.34 per cent. In 20 years, the district has witnessed a 32 per cent Muslim population growth. It is not difficult to understand one thing from these figures that the Muslim population in Assam has increased at an abnormal rate. The results are also seen by the people of Assam. Miya Poem, Miya Museum, Miya People who openly insult national martyrs have come out.

The urgency of Islamic fundamentalists, terrorists has increased. The pressure on the land of Assam has increased. There has been a shortage of agricultural land for the indigenous people. Political power is moving out of the hands of the indigenous people of the state. Islam is now the majority religion in nine districts of Assam. The 2021 census is likely to make the image even more frightening. The graph of population growth remains superficial. Very soon the fate of our future generation Hindus will be like the Hindus of Pakistan if we do not come out of our deep sleep.