Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on Sunday that the state government will soon introduce a law imposing life imprisonment for ‘love jihad’ cases. This announcement was made during a BJP executive meeting in Guwahati.
The move comes days after Uttar Pradesh introduced stringent amendments to its anti-conversion law imposing life imprisonment as punishment.
“During the elections, we addressed the issue of ‘love jihad’. We will soon bring a law to impose life imprisonment for such cases,” Sarma stated, reinforcing the government’s commitment to tackling what they perceive as a growing concern.
In addition to the proposed law, Sarma revealed plans for a new domicile policy. This policy will stipulate that only individuals born in Assam will be eligible for government jobs, according to a report from news agency PTI.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the pre-poll promise to prioritise Indigenous people in the allocation of “one lakh government jobs” is being honoured, and this will be evident once the complete list is published.
Sarma also touched upon the sensitive issue of land transactions between Hindus and Muslims. Although the government cannot outright ban such transactions, he announced a new requirement for obtaining the Chief Minister’s consent before proceeding with these deals.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amidst claims that the Muslim population in Assam has reached 40%, further fuelling the ongoing debate over demographic changes in the state.
The government’s latest measures reflect its stringent stance on protecting Indigenous rights and addressing interfaith issues, a strategy that continues to resonate with its voter base.
Last month, the United Nations Human Rights Committee in its observation of India during the ICCPR review directed to “repeal or amend all legislation and policies, including on religious conversion, that discriminate on the basis of conscience and religion and ensure they are in full conformity with article 18 of the Covenant”.
