'Illiteracy leading to high birth rate among Muslims'

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today dismissed the suggestion that illegal migration from Bangladesh has led to high growth of Muslim population in the state but blamed illiteracy for the high birth rate among the community.

He said growth of Muslim population in Assam was higher than Hindus as the community give birth more children due to poor rate of literacy among themselves.

"It is because of low literacy...Illiteracy among the Muslims. Most of them are illiterate. Every family...six, seven, eight, nine, ten...It is because of illiteracy," he told Karan Thapar in Devil's Advocate programme on CNN-IBN.

When repeatedly asked whether he was suggesting that illiterate people have more children, Gogoi said, "Yes, 100 per cent I believe...It is because of illiteracy.

"If you look at the 2001 census, the growth of Muslim population in Assam is less than the national average, almost three per cent. In 2011 census also growth of population in Assam is less than the national average. It is a clear indication that illegal immigration is on decline."

Gogoi said even though there were around three lakh cases pending against suspected illegal immigrants in various tribunals, many would be dismissed eventually as it is very difficult to prove the allegations.