We want survey before issue settled: Indigenous Muslims

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Sadou Asom Goria-Moria-Deshi Jatiya Parishad (SAGMDJP) wants that the proposed survey of indigenous Muslims of Assam should be conducted before the issue of 'constitutional safeguards' is settled.

In a statement issued to the media on Thursday, Parishad's general secretary Aktar Hussain said, "According to the report of the High-Power Committee as made public by the AASU, 1951 has been suggested as the cut-off year for defining the phrase 'Assamese people'. We differ on this. If a particular year is taken as the base year for defining 'Assamese people', then the phrase 'Assamese people' won't be able cover a large number of indigenous people of Assam. Indigenous Muslims of Assam like Goria, Moria, Desi and others originally belonged to the indigenous ethnic groups of Assam who later converted to Islam. And most of such people are without documents to prove it. Due to lack of documents, a large number of indigenous Muslims of Assam have failed to make it to the final NRC, and many of them are still treated as D voters.

"Such a precarious situation of the indigenous Muslims necessitates their survey before the issue of 'constitutional safeguards' is settled. The State government did allocate Rs 100 crore in the Budget for the survey. However, we're surprised as to why the government hasn't started the survey as yet.

"We want that the issue of indigenousness of the people of Assam should be settled by taking their respective histories on this land."

Also Watch: Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Condemns Attack in Zubeen Garg