Ahead of the Assam Assembly passing the bill, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the House that it was "not against Islam" and that any "true Islamic people will welcome this."
Assam passes anti-polygamy bill with 10-year jail term
The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025 is a crucial 'game-changer' strategy by the chief minister. His recent decision to table the two reports on Nellie massacre that shocked the state and the nation in 1983 was probably the first such a move that will leave Congress redraw the electoral strategies.
Till now it was given to understand that he might be even replaced by the tribal face Sarbananda Sonowal, his predecessor and is now Union Minister in the Modi cabinet. But his last two moves -- in quick succession in the state assembly show no one understands the "nuances" of Assam politics better - as of now - than Mr Himanta.
"Islam can't promote polygamy. If this bill passes, then you will get a chance to be a true Muslim. This bill is not against Islam.
The true Islamic people will welcome this Act. Countries like Turkey have also banned Polygamy; there is an arbitration council in Pakistan...," Sarma said.
Promising that he would pass the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) if he returns as the Chief Minister in 2026; Sarma said, "If I return to the assembly as the Chief Minister, I will bring the UCC in the first session of the assembly.
I give you my commitment that I will bring the UCC to Assam."
Following the passage of the anti-polygamy bill, AIUDF's Aminul Islam said that his party had opposed the draft law in the Assembly as he claimed that it was "in violation of some articles of the Constitution."
Nothing can appeal to the Hindu voters better even as in Assam; the majority population have always maintained some distance from radical Hindutva agenda. But UCC is probably different.
A decade ago in 2016 the Lotus party created history when it ousted the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress ministry and gave the north eastern state the first BJP chief minister. But that honour was given to Sarbananda Sonowal.
After 2021 polls, the BJP changed its chief minister and the responsibility came to Himanta.
 |
| Upper Assam Voters |
Despite the double engines and notwithstanding the fact that Himanta is considered a close confidant of Home Minister Amit Shah; there is a twist in the tale.
In three key pockets in Upper Assam even after 10 years of BJP rule; development is lacking and people are waiting eagerly for jobs.
Politically Assam is often divided into three categories. The Barak valley – Bengali dominated and Lower Assam and Upper Assam. People in Upper Assam have always felt neglected and thus remained anguished. And there are reasons for the same.
Digboi is world famous for oil and Doom Dooma is well known for tea gardens and tea business. Assam's Margherita is a famous spot for coal. Top of that Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are two commercial hubs.
The BJP also knows that the people could be angry because of the crisis of drinking water, growing joblessness and absence of new industrial units.
The state of Assam and especially people in Upper Assam are desperately in need of alternative job avenues. The coal business in Margherita experienced significant losses due to mine closures, illegal mining, and a decline in coal production.
 |
| Congress Bhavan - Tinsukia |
Chief Minister Himanta has announced that Dibrugarh in Upper Assam will be made the second capital of the state soon. This is of course linked to next year’s elections. Such moves mean nothing. Yet there is a political weightage in the announcement.
In this region and also in Bengali-dominated Barak valley; so far Congress was going strong.
"I agree these two big steps ... Nellie massacre reports and anti-polygamy Bill will make people wonder why chief minister Shri Himanta has taken these decisions. It is too early to say .. master strokes. But they are seen as good attempts by the pro-BJP voters as game-changers.
How much that change will be; ... depends on mistakes the Congress and AIUDF may make," says Dipu Dey, a retired educationist in Tinsukia.
Overall, things are changing in favour of the BJP and there are good reasons.
Recently more than 4500 school teachers appointments have been made and essentially these were on merits. Recruitment will be done on a massive scale for police force as well.
Moreover, there is an unwritten take away.
Local analysts in Guwahati and Dibrugarh say the landslide victory of the BJP and other NDA partners including JD-U have boosted the confidence of the saffron party leaders and karyakartas in Assam.
The common refrain is if two-decades old anti-incumbency can be defeated and the mandate could give such fantastic results in Bihar; the Lotus party and its allies can easily manage a solid win in Assam too provided things are managed well.
"The body language of the BJP leaders have changed ... after the Bihar mandate," says a party leader and also confessing that about three-dozen RSS footsoldiers have been already put on the job and as many numbers will reach Assam by January-February.
No comments:
Post a Comment