Assam opposition preventing indigenous Hindu MLAs from speaking in Assembly: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday slammed the opposition, claiming that a tendency has developed among them "not to allow" speeches of "indigenous Hindu MLAs" in the assembly.

Sarma also said he will not refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims as 'Miya' from now, after opposition MLAs from the community stated that they have not endorsed the terminology.

During discussion of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, he also came down heavily on opposition members for interrupting a speech by his party MLA Bhubon Pegu.

"There is a new tendency in the House not to allow indigenous Hindu MLAs to speak. It's a dangerous trend. Please do not be so aggressive. After our land, now don't try to capture the assembly," Sarma said.

Pegu was making a statement mentioning old assembly records regarding alleged migration and aggression of people from the then East Bengal into Assam.

"You cannot stop talking about Hindu-Muslim issues. These are hard realities of life. Even the census asks us to write down our religion," the chief minister said.

Talking about the bill, which was passed by the assembly, he said it is about the fight of the Assamese community, which is "about to be extinct", for survival for a few more years.

"Our land in Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Darrang, Nagaon, Morigaon have gone. Now, we are struggling to survive," Sarma said.

Protesting his statement, the Congress MLA staged a walkout from the House.

Sarma said the government has decided to add a new chapter in the existing the Assam Land Revenue and Regulation Act, 1886 to protect iconic structures of a minimum 250 years old and its surrounding areas.

"We propose to protect a five-km area surrounding the structures of religious, cultural and historical importance. As per the new provision, only people living in the area for three generations will be able to sell and buy land," he said.

Sarma said his government is aiming at protecting the Satra (Vaishnavite monastery) areas of Batadrava and Barpeta, and the list may be expanded later to other such iconic places of different religions.

In case of Majuli, the entire district will be protected and a new clause will be introduced in the act during the winter session of the assembly, he said.

In protest against the bill, the AIUDF staged a walkout from the House.

Regarding terming Bengali-speaking Muslims as 'Miya', Sarma said he calls them with that term as they themselves have accepted the terminology.

Responding to the remark, Congress MLA Wajed Ali Choudhury said: "Who has accepted? We have not accepted to be identified as ‘Miya’." Sarma then said he will not utter the word from now on, as he does not want to hurt anyone's sentiment as CM of the state.

'Miya' is a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam.

The chief minister also said the land in tribal belts is protected, but not outside demarcated areas even if a sizable population of tribals live in those areas.

"We have decided to create micro tribal belts with SC and ST villages outside the tribal belts. A ministerial committee has been formed to identify the areas. This does not need any amendment, it will be covered under Clause 10 of the Act," he said.

Sarma said that if any company wants to purchase land in a tribal belt, the majority shareholding has to be with local tribal people.

"This is a historic moment. Despite the entry of many unwanted people in tribal belts, its character remains intact. The government has enough power to remove them from those places," he said.

Sarma asserted that with so many steps being initiated to protect the land of indigenous people, the government is doing more than what the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma committee had suggested, and there is no need to forward its report to the Centre.

On February 25, 2020, the Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma-led high-level committee (HLC) of the Ministry of Home Affairs had submitted its report on implementation of Assam Accord to the then chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal for handing it over to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The CM also said in order to prevent land sale from the indigenous communities like tribals and adivasis to other people in undivided Goalpara district, a strong law will be brought to protect the interests of Koch-Rajbongshi, Bodo and Rabha communities.

"In April next year, we will bring a white paper on demographic change in every polling booth. It will prove that the changes are real," he added.