GUWAHATI: The Himanta Biswa Sarma government’s decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935 has triggered a row with some leaders from the minority community saying they will challenge the move in court, calling it the first step towards implementing Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
“They want to polarise voters by provoking the Muslims. This is the first step towards bringing UCC but it will cause the downfall of the BJP government in the state,” minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Ajmal told journalists on Saturday.
“We will definitely oppose the repeal of the Act but after the elections. We will keep silent for now,” Ajmal added. Referring to the one-time compensation of two lakh to be provided to Muslim marriage registrars for their rehabilitation after the Act is repealed, the Dhubri MP said the Qazis are not beggars.
“Through the media, I request them not to accept a single paisa from the government,” the Dhubri MP said.
His party colleague and MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuiya said the government’s decision would be challenged in court. “We have no option other than to fight it legally. Their idea is to torment the Muslim society. This is BJP’s political agenda for votes. They are doing this under pressure from the RSS,” Barbhuiya said.
Another AIUDF legislator Rafiqul Islam alleged that the government’s decision is a tactic to target the Muslims as elections are round the corner. “Despite assertions, they could not bring a bill on polygamy or UCC, so they are repealing the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act,” Islam said.
Calling the move is discriminatory against Muslims, Congress MLA Abdul Rashid Mandal alleged the government was attempting to polarise voters. “The government talks about UCC. It also talks about its move to ban polygamy. But no such bill or ordinance has been brought in the assembly so far,” Mandal. Abdul Qadir of Assam Jamiat Ulema Hind said they would consult lawyers. “It remains to be seen if the Assam cabinet has the powers to repeal this Act. We understand that as the election is round the corner and the government has lost popular support, it took up this effort to try and regain its lost ground,” he said.
Political outfit Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi alleged the BJP government was playing politics on the issue. “The government should not make unilateral decisions on any issue involving social customs, religious beliefs and public sentiments. The views of scholars of the communities concerned need to be sought in these matters. But creating a political issue to provoke a community by mocking at their sentiment is likely to cause social unrest,” he warned.
Minister and government spokesperson Jayanta Malla Baruah said that the government decided to repeal the Act as the state is heading towards UCC.
‘A move towards UCC’
The Assam cabinet on Friday decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935
What govt says
Minister and government spokesperson Jayanta Malla Baruah said the decision was taken as the state is heading towards UCC. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the move to repeal the Act would help prohibit child marriages in the state.
What Oppn, outfits say
AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Ajmal said BJP wants to polarise voters
Congress MLA Abdul Rashid Mandal says the move is discriminatory against the Muslims; the govt did not bring any law to ban polygamy
Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi said The government should not make unilateral decisions on any issue involving social customs, religious beliefs and public sentiments