All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Assam government's recent decision to revoke the British-era Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, emphasizing that such action distances the Muslim community from exercising its religious rights and customs.
Addressing reporters, Owaisi highlighted the absence of provisions for 'nikah' in the special marriage act, which he contends deprives the community of its religious entitlements.
"The BJP-led Assam government has abolished the Muslim Marriages Act, previously facilitating marriage registrations through 'qazi' or designated marriage registrars. People used to obtain marriage certificates through this process, but now it has been eliminated. The lack of 'nikah' provisions in the special marriage act directly infringes upon my religious rights. This move appears to alienate our community from its religious traditions and practices," stated Owaisi, as reported by news agency PTI.
The Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act of 1935 permitted marriage registration even if the marrying individuals had not attained the legal ages of 18 and 21, as mandated by law.
Asserting his stance against child marriages, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared his unwavering commitment to prevent such practices in Assam. "Let me make it unequivocally clear: as long as I am alive, I will not permit child marriages in Assam. I am issuing this challenge politically—I will put an end to this issue before 2026," Sarma proclaimed.
Sarma further disclosed that numerous individuals involved in child marriages had been apprehended, with some receiving prison sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years. He pledged to intensify efforts against child marriage in Assam following the Lok Sabha elections, aiming to eradicate the issue completely by 2026.
Additionally, the state assembly passed the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill of 2024, which seeks to curtail non-scientific and potentially harmful traditional healing practices conducted with deceptive intentions. Under this legislation, engagement in such practices, including claims of magical healing for various health conditions, is now punishable as a cognizable and non-bailable offense, carrying penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.
Furthermore, Sarma affirmed his government's commitment to implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which is currently under consideration in Uttarakhand. The UCC aims to address issues such as preventing underage marriage, prohibiting polygamy, standardizing inheritance laws, and formalizing the registration of live-in relationships, clarifying that it does not intrude upon traditional rituals or practices.
