GUWAHATI: On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made a scathing attack on the Opposition parties for criticising the state government’s decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935. Stating that the cabinet decided to repeal this British-era Act as it has provisions to register the marriages of even children aged 5-6 years, he announced that he would not allow child marriages to take place in the state till the time he is there.
“Listen, I will not allow child marriages to take place in Assam as long as I am alive. Till Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive, there will not be any child marriage in Assam,” a visibly angry Sarma said in the Assembly on the last day of the budget session attacking the members of minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Congress.
The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes when Speaker Biswajit Daimary did not entertain a discussion on the Act. “Think of the children. I cannot allow the marriages of girls aged 5-6 years in Assam. Do whatever you can. Nobody will be allowed to do business with the children of the Muslim society,” Sarma said.
“I want to challenge you politically that I will shut this shop by 2026,” the CM further stated. The members of the AIUDF later staged a protest in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside the Assembly. They termed the cabinet’s decision as “anti-Constitution” and “anti-Muslim” and demanded its revocation.
One of the MLAs, Aminul Islam, said if there was anything objectionable in the Act, the government could have corrected it through an amendment. “The government’s decision to entrust the district commissioners to handle all marriage registrations is against the Kazis Act of 1880 as well as the Kazis. How can the Assam cabinet abolish the Kazis Act? This is illegal. This is a dictatorship,” Islam told journalists. “We sought an adjournment motion so that we can discuss this matter but we were not allowed to speak. Our mikes were turned off,” he lamented.