Assam on a ‘powder keg’: Himanta Biswa Sarma flags demographic shift, Chicken’s Neck fears

Speaking at News18’s Rising Assam Conclave, Sarma described the situation as living on a “powder keg”, alleging that the population of residents of Bangladeshi origin has risen sharply from around 10–15 per cent at the time of India’s Independence.

The Chief Minister claimed that the population share of Hindus and Muslims in Assam would become equal by the 2027 census, adding that the demographic shift has made governance in the northeastern state increasingly difficult.

Sarma made the remarks amid continuing unrest in Bangladesh following the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s student uprising and a candidate in the upcoming elections.

Hadi was shot in Dhaka on December 12 and later died at a hospital in Singapore. His killing triggered widespread protests, which have since spread beyond student groups, with demonstrators clashing with authorities and targeting institutions they view as political or ideological opponents.

The Assam Chief Minister also expressed concern over the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, a narrow stretch of land surrounded by Bangladesh on both sides.

Calling it India’s biggest strategic worry, Sarma said the country may need to secure 20–22 kilometres of the corridor, either through diplomatic means or by force, to ensure national security. He likened the situation to a medical condition requiring “surgery” when medicines fail.

Following Hadi’s killing, certain NCP figures in Bangladesh made provocative statements accusing India of backing hostile forces in the country—claims that New Delhi has firmly rejected.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has urged Bangladesh’s interim administration to maintain internal security and ensure peaceful and credible elections.

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has repeatedly appealed for calm even as the country faces a surge in politically motivated violence.