We want an educated minority society: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

 'No talaq & no polygamy; girls should get equal property rights'

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the State Government converted the madrassas into general schools in the interest of a modern and self-confident minority society, not out of vengeance. He said that the minorities of the state should realize this viewpoint of the State Government.

The Chief Minister said, "The State government's stand on Muslims is crystal clear – no polygamy and no talaq instead of official divorce. Girls should get equal property rights. In most cases, the views of the government and the common Muslims are the same. However, some middlemen play the mischief. We have nothing to do when a Muslim reads the Quran and other religious texts. We only want them to spare schools. Schools are for producing doctors, engineers and others."

On the indigenous Muslims, the Chief Minister said, "A section of the indigenous Muslims of the state appealed to the government to recognize their separate identities. We have started the process toward that end. The government has not received any such appeal from the Muslims from the Barak Valley. If any appeal comes, we will consider that."

Speaking on the completion of eight years by the Narendra Modi government, the Chief Minister said, "The national highways, railways and other sectors in Assam and the Northeast witnessed a revolutionary development in the past eight years. The insurgency-related violence in the Northeast fell by 74 per cent in the region. The number of deaths and injuries of security personnel in the region also fell by 60 per cent. The Centre withdrew the AFSPA (Arms Forces Special Power Act) from several areas in the Northeast. It will bring peace to the region."

On the recent Batadraba incident, the Chief Minister said, "Be it Batadraba or Gorukhuti incident, PFI (Popular Front of India) and CFI (Campus Front of India) are involved. They are imparting training to Muslim youths in some pockets of the state. We have appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to ban these two organizations. We have submitted the dossier of these two organizations to the Centre."

The Chief Minister further said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi rescued the nation from the family-centric rule. His eight-year rule is something to cheer about for various achievements. This period scripted a new development era for the Northeast. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for triumph-over-time leadership."

He said, "Due to the faith people reposed on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh the BJP retained power. Initially, some people wanted to tag the BJP as communal. However, even Christian leaders came out winners on BJP tickets in the Northeast. In an autonomous council poll in Mizoram without a single Hindu voter, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party recently. We even got Muslim votes in the last municipal elections in the state. This speaks volumes of BJP's slogan – Sabka saath, Sabka vikash."

He said that the Centre was laying more importance on Assam and other Northeastern states. "Every month Union ministers frequent Assam and the Northeast. In the past 45 days, many Union ministers visited Assam. We are fortunate for this," he said.

The Chief Minister said, "The situation in Assam is that development takes place wihtout people agitating. Who did imagine the state would have bridges over the Brahmaputra between Palasbari and Sualkuchi, Guwahati and North Guwahati, and Narengi and Kuruwa? The project works go on at a fast pace in Assam and other states in the region."

He said that Assam successfully implemented many central schemes. "The BJP workers will interact with the scheme beneficiaries for a month to know if they have any problems," he said.

Also Read:   Assam Cabinet Decisions: Certificates for minorities now

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