GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday made a strong pitch for the return of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power in Assam as he reiterated his party’s commitment to implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, while clarifying that tribal communities will remain outside its jurisdiction.
“If you form a BJP-led government in Assam, we will bring in uniform civil code, which will ensure that no one marries four time. And I assure that tribals will be kept outside of the purview of UCC, we know whom it should cover,” Shah said while addressing an election rally in Dudhnoi, Goalpara district.
The move follows the precedent set by the BJP government in Uttarakhand, which recently enacted a UCC law that includes the regulation of live-in relationships. A similar bill was introduced by the Gujarat government in March this year. Implementation of the UCC remains a cornerstone of the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Assam elections, scheduled for April 9.
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Treated tribal communities as ‘vote banks’: Shah
During the rally, Shah accused the previous Congress governments of treating tribal communities as mere “vote banks” while neglecting their development. He further highlighted the representation of marginalised groups under the current administration, noting that it was under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that Droupadi Murmu became the first tribal woman to serve as President of India.
Underscoring the BJP’s commitment towards upliftment of tribals, Shah said: “Since Independence till 2013, the total annual budget outlay across the country for welfare of tribals was ₹25,000 crore, but after the BJP government under PM Modi took charge in Centre in 2014, the figure has increased to ₹1.38 lakh crore.”
He promised the establishment of a big dairy in the region to ensure that every tribal family would be provided with one cow and one buffalo.
The Dudhnoi assembly constituency in one of the 19 seats of 126 reserved for scheduled tribe (ST) candidates. The seat has 175, 592 voters, around 44% of which belong to the ST communities.
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Shah on BJP’s promise of detecting illegal immigrants
He also reiterated the BJP’s promise of detecting illegal immigrants not just Assam, but all corners of the country.
“Give us another five years in power in Assam, and we will rid the state of infiltrators and send them back,” he said
The Union home minister said that the BJP restored peace in Assam, but if Congress wins any seat in the April 9 assembly polls, the northeastern state will again witness instability.
“Congress kept Assam a disturbed state and played politics with the lives of the state’s youths. But we signed deals with the rebel groups and till date over 10,000 youths have laid down arms bringing peace to the state,” he added.
Accusing the Congress of not doing anything to protect the state’s culture, Shah highlighted setting up of a massive statue of Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, a memorial for the 860 martyrs of Assam Agitation and granting of world heritage site to the Charaideo Maidams by UNESCO during BJP rule.
–Reacting to Shah’s comments Congress stated that they gave real power to the tribals by enshrining Sixth Schedule in the Constitution for tribal autonomy and self-governance in the hill regions of Assam and 29 Development Councils — including for Adivasi/Tea Tribes, Moran, Mottock, Koch-Rajbongshi and others — giving smaller tribal communities their first institutional voice and focused development.
“Despite being in power for over 10 years you failed to grant ST status to six communities (including Tea Tribes/Adivasis) of Assam despite repeated promises. Draupadi Murmu is symbolism. Congress delivered structural safeguards, poverty reduction, schools, roads and provincialized teachers in tribal areas during our 15 years of rule in Assam,” said Assam Congress senior spokesperson Barnali Phukan.
“Shah ji, your “one cow, one buffalo and district dairies” is another photo-op. Tribals need autonomy, land security, ST status and development with dignity — not election-time fodder. Congress stands rock-solid with Assam’s tribals. Your jumlas won’t fool them again,” she added.
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