“If there is a threat to religion, culture and education, even Hindus can be termed minority. In case of Assam, the definition of minority is 75 years old. It will change now,” said chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in reply to queries by opposition leaders in the Assam Assembly on Tuesday.

The CM said religious minorities should be distinguished district-wise and not on the basis of language.

“There is no definition of minority in the Indian Constitution. However, the Constitution provides safety and security to the minority. Who qualifies as minority shall be decided by the Constitution. The National Commission for Minorities has notified certain communities as minority in India,” he said.

Sarma said that in India, there is a perception that only Muslims are minorities.

“In every district, the definition of minority differs. The SC, through its 1999 judgment, categorically stated that those who are facing threat to education and culture are minorities. Recently, the SC has stated that Hindus can also be minority.”

Earlier this month, Sarma had said that with power comes responsibility, and as Muslims constitute 35% of Assam’s population, it’s their responsibility to protect minorities here.

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