Assam’s BJP-led government, under the leadership of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, has announced a comprehensive socio-economic survey focusing on five indigenous Muslim communities, aimed to formulate targeted strategies for their overall development, encompassing social, political, and educational aspects.

Reportedly, these communities – Goria, Moria, Deshi, Syed, and Jolha – have long advocated measures to preserve their unique indigenous identity and culture, distinct from Bengali-speaking Muslim immigrants.

The Chairman of the Assam Minorities Development Board, Habib Mohammed Chowdhury, emphasized that despite being native to the region, a significant portion of these communities face social and economic disparities. The hope is that this assessment will pave the way for positive transformations in their lives.

The move ahead of the Lok Sabha elections has also been termed to be a strategic effort by the BJP to engage the Muslim votes. CM Sarma however recently declared that the BJP aims to exclude votes from “Miyas,” referring to immigrants from Bangladesh, for the next decade.