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It's a terrible blow to Assam's composite culture. After the ISI menace, the Centre fears that the unabated inflow of Bangladeshi infiltrators may well end up altering the demographic character of the border State.
In fact, the Muslim population is expected to cross the 33 per cent-mark in this year's census. And with the task of fencing of International Border far from complete, observers fear that the Muslims (or the Bangladeshis) will constitute the "majority" in another twenty years.
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs say that the five "worst-affected" border districts are Dhubri, Barpeta, Karimganj, Mangaldoi and Katcher "which will soon have a Muslim majority". What has caused particular concern to the Centre is that the ISI game plan is now yielding "tangible results" and if allowed unchecked, it may ruin the State not in too distant future. "The ISI through its covert operations has ruined the State," said a senior Assam Government official.
A report tabled in the State Assembly by Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta says that "the ISI is providing active assistance to local militant outfits". Further, the ISI has succeeded in creating (and sustaining) militant groups on communal/ethnic lines, says the 20-page report.
An Assam police report says that there are 11 Muslim militant groups active in the state prominent of which are: the Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam, Muslim Liberation Tigers of Assam, Islamic Liberation Army of Assam, Muslim Volunteer Force, Islamic Sevak Sangh, United Reformation Protest of Assam, Adam Sena and Harkat-ul-jehad. These outfits routinely extort money, recruit cadres, and train them in handling arms and explosives.
Most of the top arrested militants have been connected with activities of Madrasas which have mushroomed along the bordering districts. In Dhubri alone there 500 such Madrasas. Even ULFA's commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, now reportedly hiding in Karachi, was issued a Bangladeshi passport in name of Kamaruddin Zaman Khan, courtesy ISI.
On the contrary there is a sharp decline in the Hindu population in the state. From 71.04 per cent in 1971 census it came down to 67.13 (in 1991) and is expected to slide down even more by year 2001. Whereas the Muslim population rising from a meagre 12 per cent in 1947 just doubled in next thirty years." In 1991, the Muslim shared 28.43 per cent of the entire population of the state. By year 2031 it's expected to gain a majority of 51 per cent in Assam," said a Home Ministry official.
The changing demographic pattern
now endangers the rich heritage and legacy of the state. History reveals
that Assam was one of the kingdoms in India which strongly resisted the
Mughal rule. Time and again, the Mughal armies were crushed by the Tai-Ahoms
ruling Assam for 600 years. Even during Independence the Hindu-dominated
state refused to budge when Muslim league tried to re-draw the maps in
India's north-east.
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