According to Sarma, compliance with particular cultural norms and customs is necessary for the Miya group to be acknowledged in Assam.
Digital Desk: Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday, outlined the conditions for recognizing Bangladeshi Muslims who speak Bengali, also known as "Miya," as native inhabitants of the state. He made these remarks in response to the recent enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
According to Sarma, compliance with particular cultural norms and customs is necessary for the Miya group to be acknowledged in Assam. These include not engaging in polygamy, keeping families small at two members, and forbidding the marriage of minor daughters.
"Whether 'Miyas' are considered indigenous or not is a separate matter. We suggest that they are free to pursue their goal of being "indigenous," and we won't protest. They must, however, reject customs like polygamy and child marriage and support female education," Sarma said in response to the question.
In addition, he stressed the significance of honoring Assamese traditional norms and voiced worries about some organizations intruding on the territory of "satras," or Vaishnavite monasteries.
Sarma emphasized the importance of educational priorities and recommended that the Miya community choose traditional madrassas instead of pursuing careers in disciplines like engineering and medicine. In addition, he placed a strong emphasis on educating daughters and protecting their right to inherit paternal estates.
Under Sarma's direction, the BJP-led Assam government has taken strong action against child marriage, as seen by the many arrests and cases that have been filed in this area. Sarma had already threatened to withhold the BJP's candidacy from the Miya community for the next ten years unless customs like as underage marriage and polygamy were changed.
The Muslim community who speak Bengali, originally from Bangladesh, had moved to different regions of Assam and had a big impact on election results in many constituencies. However, Bengali-speaking immigrant communities, both Muslim and Hindu, are viewed as settlers in Assam.
Rejecting the Bangladeshi Miya Muslims, the BJP tried to win over Assamese Muslims. About 40 lakh Muslims who speak Assamese were officially recognized by the state cabinet in 2022 as "indigenous Assamese Muslims," setting them apart from immigrants from Bangladesh.
Reports state that 37% of Muslims worldwide are indigenous Assamese-speaking Muslims, with Miyas making up the remaining 63%.
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