Sarma emphasized that forsaking practices like child marriage and polygamy, and promoting women's education are essential steps...
Digital Desk: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sparked controversy with his assertion that Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state must adopt certain cultural practices to be considered 'khilonjiya' or indigenous. Sarma emphasized that forsaking practices like child marriage and polygamy, and promoting women's education are essential steps for integration into Assamese society.
The term 'Miya', originally pejorative, has been reclaimed by activists from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community.
However, Sarma's remarks reflect tensions surrounding identity and cultural assimilation in Assam.
Sarma's stance aligns with the government's crackdown on child marriage, targeting not only the practice itself but also the societal conditions perpetuating it. The repeal of the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, of 1935, demonstrates legislative efforts to address the issue.
Moreover, Sarma's support for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and plans to introduce legislation against polygamy signal broader initiatives toward legal and cultural uniformity in Assam.
While Sarma's directives aim at social reform, they have also drawn criticism from opposition parties, accusing the government of polarization and communalism. The debate underscores the complexities of governance in a diverse society like Assam, where issues of identity, tradition, and modernity intersect.
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