Will devise new policy to ensure that only those born in Assam get govt. jobs: Chief Minister
The Chief Minister’s approval will be required when Hindus and Muslims buy or sell land to each other, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a new domicile policy would be implemented to make only those born in the State eligible for government jobs. He also said a policy would be drawn up to make the Chief Minister’s approval mandatory for the transfer of land between Hindus and Muslims.
Addressing a State Executive Committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Guwahati on Sunday, he said the coalition government has been sticking to a pre-poll promise to provide one lakh government jobs to indigenous people. “This will be evident when the complete list of selected candidates is published,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced a shift in policy regarding inter-religion land transfers.
“We cannot stop the buying or selling of lands (between Hindus and Muslims). However, the Assam government has now decided that no buying or selling of land between Hindus and Muslims will take place without the Chief Minister’s approval,” he said.
In March, the State Government restricted the grant of no-objection certificates for the sale of land between people belonging to different religions for three months. An order to this effect cited input from intelligence agencies about attempts to transfer land involving people of different religious communities “by fraudulent means.”
The Chief Minister further declared that his government would soon introduce a law prescribing life imprisonment for cases of “love jihad.” This follows the approval of a similar Bill by the Uttar Pradesh Assembly targeting forced or deceitful conversions.
‘Love jihad’ is a term used by the Hindu right-wing groups, including the BJP, to target interfaith relationships and marriages involving Muslims.
“Individuals found guilty of ‘love jihad’ will face severe legal consequences. The law we plan to bring in seeks to penalise those who exploit interfaith relationships for ulterior motives,” he said.
Dr. Sarma underscored the need for population control measures to address the State’s changing demography. He specified certain conditions to recognise Bengali-speaking Muslims who migrated from present-day Bangladesh as indigenous people of Assam.
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