Speaking at the state BJP executive meeting, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mentioned that this was a topic discussed during the elections and assured that the law would be enacted shortly.
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday (4th Aug) that the Government will soon introduce a law imposing life imprisonment in cases of ‘love jihad.’
Speaking at the state BJP executive meeting, he mentioned that this was a topic discussed during the elections and assured that the law would be enacted shortly.
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Additionally, Sarma revealed plans for a new domicile policy, stipulating that only individuals born in Assam will be eligible for State Government jobs. He emphasized that the indigenous population has been prioritized in fulfilling the promise of providing one lakh government jobs, which will be clear when the complete list is published.
The Chief Minister also addressed the issue of land sales between Hindus and Muslims, stating that while the Government cannot outright prohibit such transactions, it has mandated that the Chief Minister’s consent be obtained before proceeding.
In his announcement,
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the government’s efforts to reclaim encroached land, stating,
“While ‘encroached land equal to the size of Chandigarh’ has been freed from illegal settlers by our government, land equal to ’20 times the size of the northern Union Territory’ is still occupied by encroachers in the state.” He emphasized the historical and cultural importance of the undivided Goalpara district, particularly for the Koch Rajbongshi community.
Expressing concern over demographic changes, Sarma said,
“One by one, a particular community has taken away land from the indigenous people, making us a minority in our own land. The state government proposes to introduce a law within the next few days to prevent land in the undivided Goalpara district from being sold to people of special communities. We cannot allow the remaining land among tribals, SCs, and other backward communities to be transferred.”
Addressing land sales between religious communities, he announced stricter regulations:
“Previously, there was inter-religious land transfer, with Hindu land being bought by Muslims and vice versa. The Assam government has decided that permission for land sales will only be granted with the Chief Minister’s approval for transactions involving the purchase of Hindu land by Muslims and vice versa.”
Sarma reiterated the government’s intention to impose life imprisonment for ‘love jihad’ cases:
“Workers, friends, during the election we talked about ‘love jihad.’ In Assam, we will introduce a new law in the next few days to change the punishment for ‘love jihad’ to life imprisonment.”
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Under the new domicile policy to be introduced soon, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma stated,
“Only those born in Assam will be eligible for state government jobs.” He emphasized that indigenous people have been prioritized in the allocation of “one lakh government jobs” promised before the elections, which will be evident once the complete list is released.
Sarma claimed that under the Congress Government, a “particular community” secured up to 30 percent of constable jobs in the state police force when the incumbent Dhubri MP was in charge of the Home Department.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to various indigenous communities, Sarma said,
“Today, for the first time in the last three years, we have seen episodes where protests have disappeared in Assam. The tribal people have returned to the mainstream of state life. Tea plantation workers were recognized as indigenous for the first time. The Gorkha community received indigenous recognition for the first time. Earlier, no Chief Minister of Assam dared to say that Gorkhas are indigenous people of Assam.”
Accusing the Congress of allowing “special dispensation” for a particular community to occupy land, Sarma claimed,
“The BJP government has freed a Chandigarh-like area from encroachers.”
Emphasizing the protection of tribal lands, he declared,
“We have decided to bring a new law to convert small villages among tribal people outside the tribal belt and block into Micro Tribal Belt and Block, so no one can look at the land of tribal people outside the tribal belt.”
Addressing those leaving the BJP to join the Congress, Sarma remarked,
“A few of our friends have joined the Congress party. I’m happy about that; I certainly wish that the movement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spreads to Rajiv Bhawan. If the swayamsevaks of our Sangh can speak like lions at Rajiv Bhawan tomorrow, no one can be happier than us. The ideal of RSS is not to build BJP but to build society and the state. The more people who believe in Hindus go to Rajiv Bhawan, the more it is a victory for us.”
“If we had the environment to work for the indigenous people while in Congress, we would never have left the Congress. If they go today and create an environment for the indigenous people of Assam at Rajiv Bhawan, they will remain our role models and inspirations. Some people should go to CPM, and CPM should also become RSS. Some of them should go to UDF so that beef eating can be stopped,”
he stated.
This comes as Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi claimed in July that several sitting BJP MLAs from Assam approached him and other senior leaders about joining the opposition party, which would be decided upon during its upcoming ‘political affairs meeting.’
Sarma has previously spoken about the need for population control measures and mentioned conditions for recognizing Bengali-speaking Bangladeshi Muslims, known as ‘Miya,’ as indigenous people of Assam.
The move to impose life imprisonment for ‘love jihad’ cases follows the recent approval of a similar bill by the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. The proposed law, named the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2024, targets severe crimes involving forced or deceitful conversions, promising heavy penalties for offenders.
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