Assam Targets Child Marriage and Women's Empowerment; Comprehensive UCC Not on Agenda

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified on Wednesday that the state government is not pursuing a comprehensive Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Instead, Sarma highlighted the state's focus on specific reforms concerning child marriage, women's empowerment.

Sarma explained that the Muslim registration bill mandates compulsory registration, thus, the Assam government has made the registration of marriages and divorces compulsory and mandated that these be conducted by a sub-registrar rather than a 'Qazi'. Additionally, a bill to ban polygamy is anticipated, pending judicial comments on the Uttarakhand UCC.

Our agenda is crystal clear: we are implementing robust measures to safeguard women, protect our sacred sites, and uphold the rights of indigenous communities. This government will be remembered for its unwavering commitment to preserving Assam’s identity against illegal… pic.twitter.com/N8ElSOEKYT

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 28, 2024

The Chief Minister emphasized that Assam's efforts are not aimed at broad religious reforms but are focused on tackling issues such as child marriage and exploitation of women. The state is also working on streamlining inter-religion marriages, commonly referred to as 'Love Jihad,' with a more precise regulation.

Looking ahead, Sarma noted that the government is set to implement measures aligned with its election manifesto, including safeguarding women, protecting sacred sites, and upholding the rights of indigenous communities by restricting land transfers beyond community boundaries.

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