‘Muslim Threat’ in Politics of Assam

Abstract

The immigrant Muslim community in Assam, which is also known as neo-Assamese in society and politics of the state, has emerged as the threat to the existence and identity of the indigenous Assamese communities, particularly from the days of Assam movement. The fast rise of population strength of the community, which has made the community decisive in the electoral equation of the state, has threatened the indigenous Assamese communities of losing political dominance at the hands of these Muslims. However, while the indigenous Assamese has started to consider the neo-Assamese Muslim community as a threat, the community has tried to prove this threat perception of the indigenous Assamese a myth. Although the indigenous Assamese considers neo-Assamese Muslims as a threat politically, but have remained dependent on neo-Assamese Muslims for the majority status of Assamese language in Assam. Against this backdrop, this paper is an attempt to understand how the neo-Assamese Muslims are emerging as a threat to the indigenous Assamese, how the neo-Assamese are responding to this threat perception of the indigenous Assamese, and finally, how Assamese language has made the indigenous Assamese dependent on neo-Assamese Muslims, despite all allegations against the community.