Congress regime furnished wrong data, says Patowary

State government to reject 2012 White Paper figures

Population increase in Assam during 1971-91 was 53.26% as per 1991 census, but only 23.9% as stated in White Paper

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 6: The Assam Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Monday over the issue of abnormal population growth in the State between 1971 and 1991.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said the percentage of population growth given in the White Paper on the foreigners’ issue in the context of the State, submitted by the previous Congress government in the House in 2012, was wrong and the present State government is not going to accept the data given in it.

Patowary stated that the previous government had tried to hide the reality by tweaking population data, through the White Paper.

As per the 1991 census report, Assam witnessed 53.26 per cent increase in population, but the White Paper submitted by the previous government had shown only 23.9 per cent population growth in the State.

On this issue, Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed said, “The White Paper was prepared by government officials. How could it contain wrong information? If anything wrong was found in it, action should be taken against the officials concerned.” Ahmed’s comment again triggered chaos in the House.

Patowary said the State government will not accept the data given in the White Paper as it contradicts the census data. In his reply, Speaker Hitendra th Goswami told the House that he would look into the issue.

Patowary later told reporters outside the House: “The previous government tried to hide its failure and avoid trouble by showing wrong data on population growth. The then Home Minister should have looked into the issue.”

As per 2011 census, population in 31 LACs, mostly in lower Assam districts, increased abnormally. Some LACs even witnessed 80 per cent growth in population, as per 2011 census.

“Due to it, the Central government has told the State government to look into the issue and we are examining it,” added Patowary.

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