"Matter of life and death": Assam CM raises concerns on "changing demography" in state

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 17 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, reiterated his concerns regarding the issue of "changing demography," and said it is a matter of "life and death" for him.
Citing some data, Sarma said that Muslim population was 12 per cent in 1951 and has now reached 40 per cent.
Sarma, who is also the Bharatiya Janata Party's co-in-charge for the Jharkhand assembly, was addressing a press conference in Ranchi on Wednesday.
"Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, the Muslim population has reached 40 per cent today. In 1951, it was 12 per cent," the Assam CM said.
"We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me," said Sarma, explaining his government's efforts to detect illegal immigrants," he added.
The Chief Minister alleged that 'illegal immigrants' are marrying tribal girls without following due process.
"Illegal immigrants are marrying tribal daughters, but due diligence of law is not happening. Our BJP will make a law to stop exploitation of anyone if a tribal daughter marries an illegal immigrant," CM Sarma said.
The Assam CM also raised the issue of migrants coming to Jharkhand and "luring" girls into marriage. He further demanded specific laws for Jharkhand to safeguard the rights of tribal women.
"When people of two different religions get married, it is done so under the Special Marriage Act. People who migrate to India, already have a wife and family, but they still lure and marry the poor tribal girls of the state...Keeping this subject in mind, we need to make laws specific to Jharkhand. We need to safeguard the rights of the women of Jharkhand," he told ANI.
Speaking about the Jharkhand assembly elections, the Assam CM exuded confidence that the BJP would oust JMM from power and form the government in the state.
"We have to form our government in Jharkhand... We need to change the present government and bring in the BJP's double-engine government. We will definitely win," the Assam CM told reporters on Tuesday," Sarma said.
"I am not doing any research work; just see the result of the Lok Sabha election. We got such a good response," he added.
Notably, Jharkhand is among the states where elections will be held later this year.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, who took oath as the CM again after getting bail in a graft case, will be up against the BJP, which has been cornering JMM on multiple issues ever since it came to power in the state.
The NDA won 9 seats out of 14 in Jharkhand in the recent Lok Sabha elections, while the INDIA bloc won 5 seats.