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The BJP authorities says the legislation permits little one marriage, however Muslim leaders allege the transfer is geared toward polarizing voters forward of elections.
The Indian state of Assam, with a big Muslim inhabitants, has repealed a British-era legislation on Muslim marriage and divorce, sparking anger among the many minority neighborhood whose leaders say the plan is designed to polarize voters alongside spiritual traces earlier than nationwide ones. Is an effort. Election.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the state has repealed the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act which was enacted practically 9 many years in the past.
“The Act included provisions permitting marriage registration even when the bride and groom haven’t reached the authorized age of 18 and 21 years, as required by legislation. This step is one other necessary step in direction of curbing little one marriage in Assam,” he wrote.
On 23.22024, the Assam Cupboard took an necessary resolution to repeal the age-old Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act. The Act included provisions permitting marriage registration even when the bride and groom had not reached the authorized age of 18 and 21, as required…
– Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) 23 February 2024
The legislation enacted in 1935 prescribed authorized process in line with Muslim private legislation. Following the 2010 modification, it made registration of Muslim marriages and divorces obligatory within the state, whereas earlier registration was voluntary.
Officers within the state, dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP), had known as the legislation “outdated” and alleged it permits little one marriage.
The state authorities's crackdown on little one marriage, which started final 12 months, contains a number of thousand arrests beneath the Safety of Youngsters from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act in an effort to “eradicate” little one marriage by 2026.
However representatives of the Muslim neighborhood within the state stated the motion was largely in opposition to them.
Assam, which has the best proportion of Muslims amongst Indian states at 34 p.c, has beforehand stated it desires to implement uniform civil legal guidelines for marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance, as does the northern state of Uttarakhand – which is dominated by the BJP. Have – had performed earlier than. this month.
Nationwide, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and different teams observe their very own legal guidelines and customs or a secular code for such issues. BJP has promised a uniform civil code.
The Assam authorities has stated that it intends to enact a legislation much like that in Uttarakhand. Reuters information company on Sunday quoted Chief Minister Sarma as saying the state was “not instantly” engaged in efforts to implement the unified code earlier than the final elections in Might.
Bengali-speaking Muslims type nearly all of the Muslim inhabitants in Assam and tensions typically stay excessive between them and ethnic Assamese, who’re principally Hindu. Nationalist politicians say mass migration from neighboring Bangladesh has modified the demographics of the northeastern state.
'They need to polarize voters'
Assam's resolution on Muslim marriage and divorce legislation led Muslim opposition leaders to accuse the BJP of making an attempt to make use of the colonial-era legislation as an election ploy.
“They need to polarize their voters by instigating Muslims, which Muslims is not going to permit to occur,” Badruddin Ajmal, an Assam MLA who heads the group that primarily fights for Muslim pursuits, instructed reporters on Saturday.
“This is step one in direction of bringing Uniform Civil Code, however it will convey the tip of the BJP authorities in Assam.”
Different opposition events additionally criticized this resolution.
Abdur Rasheed Mandal stated, “Simply earlier than the elections, the federal government is making an attempt to polarize the voters, disenfranchise Muslims in some areas and discriminate in opposition to them, like repealing the Registration and Divorce Act, this To say that it is a pre-independence Act of 1935.” The principle opposition Indian Nationwide Congress get together.
Mandal rejected the declare that the legislation permits little one marriage, and stated it was “the one mechanism to register marriages of Muslims” within the state.
“There isn’t any different scope or establishment and that is additionally as per the Structure of India. This can be a private legislation of Muslims which can’t be cancelled.”