Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the Independence Day celebrations in Guwahati on Friday, hoisting the national flag at the Veterinary College Field, Khanapara, and calling upon people to safeguard the State’s identity from threats posed by demographic changes.
Sarma warns against demographic threats
In his address, Sarma underscored the need to preserve Assam’s identity, warning that it risked “going extinct in the coming days” if demographic shifts continued unchecked. “The spirit of the Tricolour brought people together as we celebrated the country’s 79th Independence Day in Guwahati in an atmosphere of peace and backed by solid progress achieved over the last few years. I urge everyone to always uphold the pride of the nation,” he said in a post on X.
In today's ceremony, I highlighted the instrumental support of the Union Govt led by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji in ensuring a solid growth trajectory for Assam in various sectors and lauded our people's efforts to ensure Assam becomes one of the top 5 States. pic.twitter.com/gJzDa80svl
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 15, 2025
He credited the Centre for Assam’s progress in recent years, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for driving growth across sectors and placing the State on a path to become one of the top five in the country. Sarma also lauded the courage of the armed forces while reiterating his appeal to citizens to stand firm in defending Assam’s cultural and social fabric.
Modi cautions against infiltration
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address, issued a stark warning about demographic imbalance in India’s border regions. He alleged that infiltrators were engaged in a “well-thought-out conspiracy” to alter the country’s demography, threatening livelihoods, targeting women, and misleading tribal communities to capture land.
“Infiltrators are snatching away the livelihood of the youth of my country. Infiltrators are targeting the sisters and daughters of my country. This will not be tolerated,” the Prime Minister declared.
Modi announced the launch of a High-Powered Demography Mission to counter what he described as a national security challenge. Stressing that no nation could allow its border demography to be handed over to outsiders, he asserted that India must act decisively to safeguard its unity, integrity, and the rights of its citizens.
