The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday issued a sharp warning against what it described as a deliberate attempt to convert parts of the state into “Miya land,” blaming illegal infiltration from Bangladesh during decades of Congress rule for a significant demographic shift. In a strongly worded statement released from the party’s state headquarters at Basistha Chariali, Assam BJP’s chief spokesperson, Kishor Kumar Upadhyay, expressed concern over what he termed a systematic threat to the cultural and religious identity of indigenous Assamese people. He alleged that unchecked infiltration by East Bengal-origin Muslim migrants has led to drastic demographic changes in several districts of Assam. Quoting Census data, Upadhyay pointed out a stark population rise in districts like Dhubri, where the Muslim population reportedly increased from 9.38 lakh in 1991 to over 15.53 lakh by 2011 — an increase of more than 6.14 lakh. In contrast, he said the Hindu population in the district grew by just 5,563 in the same period. He made similar claims about Barpeta, where he said the Hindu population had declined by nearly 65,000, while the Muslim population rose by over 4.21 lakh.
“These figures show a deliberate demographic transformation. Indigenous people are becoming minorities in their own homeland,” Upadhyay stated. He added that districts like Darrang, Morigaon, Mangaldoi, and South Salmara are also witnessing similar patterns. According to him, illegal land encroachment, unregulated population growth, and continued cross-border infiltration are to blame for the imbalance. The BJP spokesperson also criticized public figures such as MLA Sherman Ali and activist Ashraful Hussain for allegedly promoting what he described as the “Miya agenda.” He condemned cultural initiatives like Miya poetry and the proposed Miya Museum at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, saying they are intended to undermine Assam’s Vaishnavite heritage and identity.
He further accused infiltrators of encroaching on religious and cultural lands, including historical Satras and temple sites. Specific allegations included illegal settlements inside Batadrava Satra, construction of madrasas on Rampur Satra land, and the alleged renaming of Surya Pahar near the Kamakhya Temple to “Qudratpur.”“The religious tolerance of the Assamese people has been exploited for too long. The state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is determined to reverse this,” Upadhyay said. He reiterated the government’s commitment to reclaiming illegally occupied lands and deporting undocumented migrants.