Himanta Sarma urges Hindu families to have more children, citing concerns over Assam’s changing demographic pattern. The Assam Chief Minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official event in Barpeta.
Sarma said birth rates remain higher in minority-dominated areas, while Hindu birth rates continue to decline. He claimed this trend has created a widening demographic gap in several constituencies. Responding to questions on the rising Muslim population, he appealed to Hindu families not to stop at one child.
The Chief Minister advised Hindu couples to have at least two children and, if possible, three. He said this was necessary to maintain social balance and ensure family support systems remain intact. At the same time, Sarma said Muslim families should avoid having seven or eight children and limit family size.
He clarified that recent constituency delimitation has changed population patterns, making exact figures difficult to assess immediately. However, he maintained that demographic trends remain a matter of concern.
Earlier this month, the Assam government relaxed the two-child policy for ST, SC, tea garden, Moran, and Matak communities. This marked a shift from the earlier plan to enforce family planning norms for welfare eligibility.
Referring to the 2011 Census, Sarma said Muslims formed 34.22 percent of Assam’s population, while Hindus accounted for about 61.47 percent. He reiterated that population balance remains a key policy issue.
