'Marry again before polls, or else...': Himanta's advice to MP
In a jab at Muslim MP Badruddin Ajmal, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said if the former wishes to marry a "second or third wife," he should do so before the Lok Sabha elections. This warning came after 74-year-old Ajmal recently declared, "I have so much strength...I can get [remarried]." Sarma advised the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief to consider marrying before the polls, as polygamy will become illegal under the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
Sarma's remarks at rally on UCC and polygamy
During a rally, Sarma made his views clear, stating, "He (Ajmal) should marry now. After the elections, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented in Assam. If he marries after that, he will be arrested." He further added that he would attend Ajmal's wedding if it occurred before the UCC implementation since it is currently not against the law. Ajmal is a three-time MP from Dhubri constituency and is contesting from the same seat this year.
Uniform Civil Code: A unified set of laws
The UCC is a consolidated set of laws applicable to all Indian citizens, irrespective of their religion. It governs personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. Sarma has been outspoken about his government's plans to introduce a UCC in Assam, particularly after the Uttarakhand Assembly passed a similar bill last month. Assam is poised to become the third Indian state to adopt the UCC following Uttarakhand and Gujarat.
Assam's unique provisions under UCC
In preparation for implementing the UCC, Assam repealed the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act in February. At the time, Sarma told the state assembly that "under UCC, there are basically four points." "There cannot be marriage without attending a certain age, men cannot have two wives, a woman is entitled to a share of parental property and live-in relationships must be registered so that their offspring can also inherit parental properties."
Sarma outlines requirements for 'Miya' recognition
In addition to his stance on polygamy, Sarma last week outlined conditions for recognizing 'Miya', Bengali-speaking Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam, as indigenous people. He emphasized that this community must abandon practices like child marriage and polygamy to gain recognition. Under Sarma's leadership, the BJP government in Assam has taken stringent measures against child marriage in 2023, highlighting that many older men had married multiple young girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
Lok Sabha elections and candidate nominations in Assam
The Lok Sabha elections in Assam are scheduled to take place in three phases on April 19, 26, and May 7, with the results being announced on June 4. Sarma has expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies would win 13 of 14 seats in Assam. The BJP has nominated former chief minister and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal from Dibrugarh and former Assam BJP president Ranjit Dutta from Tezpur among its 11 candidates in Assam.
