The condition imposed by CM Sarma for Bangladeshi Muslims to become native residents
The conditions imposed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to consider Bengali-speaking Muslims from Bangladesh as indigenous residents are affecting lakhs of Muslims living in the state. These are the Muslims who are called ‘Miya’ in the state.
CM Sarma’s conditions for Muslims to become indigenous residents
Assam CM Sarma has clearly said that if the ‘Miya’ want to be recognized as indigenous residents, then they will have to stop having more than two children and give up the tradition of marrying more than once, as it is not a part of Assamese culture.
The CM’s condition is very clear. They cannot marry their minor daughters if they want to be ‘natives’. He wondered how they could claim to be natives if they had encroached upon the lands of the Sattras (Vaishnav monasteries).
The Chief Minister also says that such Muslims should educate their children to become doctors and engineers instead of sending them to madrasas. He says that such Muslims should send their daughters to schools and also give them rights over their father’s property.
After Jammu and Kashmir, Assam has the highest Muslim population at more than 34%. According to the Chief Minister of Assam, there is a difference between ‘Miya’ and the indigenous people of the state. According to him, ‘If they give up these practices and adopt the culture of Assamese people, then a time will come when they too will become indigenous people.’ After Jammu and Kashmir, Assam has the highest population of Muslims.
Who are the ‘indigenous Assamese Muslims’?
As per the 2011 census, the Muslim population in Assam is more than 34% of the total population. However, there is a great diversity in the Muslim population of Assam. One is the Muslims who speak the Assamese language and are the original inhabitants or indigenous people of the state. They have no history of being migrants from Bangladesh, so they are considered ‘indigenous Assamese Muslims’, who are called the original inhabitants of Assam.
Who are the ‘Miya’ Muslims in Assam?
The second are those Muslims who speak Bengali and are migrant Muslims of Bangladesh origin. These are called ‘Miya’ in Assam and the conditions have been laid down for them by the BJP government. The Assam government has given the status of ‘indigenous’ Assamese Muslims to a total of five groups, Goria, Moria, Jolah (only living in tea gardens), Desi and Syed (only speaking Assamese).
‘Miya’ is far more than indigenous Muslims in population
In 2021, the Assam government had formed a committee, according to its report, there are about 1.18 crore Muslims in Assam. Of these, only about 42 lakh are indigenous Muslims. The rest are considered ‘Miya’, for whom CM Sarma has talked about the conditions to consider them as natives.
About 18 crore Muslims increased in Assam in a decade
In the 2011 census, the total Muslim population of Assam was reported to be only 1.07 crore. That is, the Muslim population has increased by about 18 crore in a decade. The two-child limit, ban on child marriage and ban on polygamy, which the Assam CM has talked about, is being linked to this problem.
Today, the number of Bangladeshi-origin migrant Muslims is much higher, which is close to 63%. Whereas, the population of Assamese-speaking indigenous Muslims is only about 37%.
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According to the last census, out of the 27 districts of the state, only 18 districts had Hindu majority. In Assam, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act has been abolished only last month.
The question is why the Assam CM has put conditions to consider Bengali-speaking Bangladeshi-origin Muslims as ‘indigenous’ at a time when the dates of the Lok Sabha elections have been announced.
