Fresh violence in Goalpara district in Lower Assam that led to death of one person in police firing on Sunday, has once again brought to focus the growing fear among the indigenous population of being outnumbered by the increasing immigrant Muslims, mostly from Bangladesh.

Indefinite curfew was clamped in Krishnai on Sunday aftenoon, while curfew was also extended to Goalpara town as a preventive measure to stop violence from spreading to the district headquarters.

Incidentally, Goalpara is one of the six districts of Assam which has become Muslim majority in the past three decades.

One Roshan Ali was killed in police firing when a mob tried to attack the Krishnai police station after six members of the community were picked up on charges of setting on fire two houses belonging to the indigenous Rabha tribal community.

Earlier, police had recovered the body of one Suren Rabha from a river near Krishnai town. Rumours spread that the body was that of a migrant Muslim, following which a mob set fire to houses belonging to one Moni Rabha and Hirendra Rabha.

“The number of migrant Muslims, most of whom are definitely of doubtful citizenship, is increasing in the Krishnai and Dudhnoi areas of Goalpara district. Everyday you see new hutments coming up on the riverine areas and on Government land,” Tankeswar Rabha, president of the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), which has been sprearheading an agitation for Sixth Schedule status to the Rabha community said.

He said while the Government has already established a Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) covering 779 villages of the district, it is the immigrant Muslim community that has been opposing it vehemently.

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