According to the National Census of 2001, the Muslim population in the Northeast Indian State of Assam is 30.9per cent out of a total of 26.6 million. Although the last Census was conducted three years ago, it was onlyon September 6, 2004, that the office of the Registrar General of India, which carries out census operations,released the statistical break-up on religious lines. The latest figures demonstrate that the proportionategrowth of the Muslim population in Assam, in comparison with other religious communities, is second only toJammu and Kashmir (67 per cent Muslims).
The 2001 Census put Assam's population at 26,655,528. Of this, 17,296,455 were recorded as Hindus and8,240,611 Muslims. Among the critical elements made public by the Census authorities is the fact that six ofAssam's 27 districts have a majority Muslim population. The district of Barpeta tops the list with 977,943Muslims and 662,066 Hindus. The other five districts where Muslims constitute a majority: Dhubri, Goalpara,Nagaon, Karimganj and Hailakandi.
The issue of Muslim population growth in Assam has a disturbing resonance. The State has long been in the gripof a murky politics of citizenship over the issue of unabated illegal migration from adjoining Bangladesh,with which it shares a 262 kilometre long border.