‘At the right moment, some may align with Bangladesh’: Himanta flags concerns around Chicken’s Neck corridor

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed concerns about demographic changes and illegal infiltration in eastern India during a recent interview. Sarma said that areas around the Chicken’s Neck corridor are home to people with close cultural and familial ties to Bangladesh. “While they reside in India, at the right moment, some may align with Bangladesh. They maintain strong connections through language, education, music, and radio,” he said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the sensitive demographic situation in Assam, noting that the Muslim population has been steadily rising. He referred to a Supreme Court observation during a hearing on Assam, which noted that demographic changes in the state have been ongoing since the 1940s, with the pace accelerating from 1961. “According to the 2011 Census, the Muslim population in Assam was 34 percent, increasing roughly 4 percent annually. Had a census been conducted in 2021, it would have been around 38 percent. If trends continue, it could reach 40 percent by 2025. Even if infiltration has slightly reduced in the last 10 years, it would only make a one-percent difference, keeping it at 39–40 percent today,” Sarma said.
He warned that once this threshold is crossed, state machinery, including government positions and the police, could come under new influence. “I can only defer this situation for 10 years, but I don’t have a permanent solution,” he added.
Sarma further emphasised that illegal infiltration is not limited to Assam alone. “Eastern India, including Assam, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, is grappling with this challenge,” he said.
His remarks come amid ongoing debates over border security, demographic change, and implications for local governance in Assam and surrounding regions.