Assamese CM Himanta Sarma: Child marriage and polygamy are not polling concerns

Claiming that he was bringing up these concerns because he wanted the social reformation of the minority groups, not their votes, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed polygamy, underage marriage, and other issues pertaining to the ‘Miya’ community as non-issues in the Lok Sabha elections.

In an interview with PTI at Titabor in Jorhat, Sarma said that the BJP-led NDA is battling for three of the state’s fourteen Lok Sabha seats, meaning there would be a “contest” in those seats, but the saffron party will easily win the other eleven.

“As I constantly say, winning votes is another matter entirely. Real progress for the minority population is what we want to see. Asked whether he had changed his mind about not soliciting ‘Miya’ votes for the BJP, he said, “Now, whether they give me votes or I ask for their votes, that is immaterial.”

Originally used as a derogatory slur for Muslims in Assam who spoke Bengali, the word “Miya” is now used to refer to immigrants from Bangladesh among non-Bengali-speaking individuals.

Community activists have been using this phrase as a sign of resistance in recent years.

“The tangible asset on which the community should thrive. In the event that polygamy is common in that culture, how will they thrive? How can they succeed if child marriage persists?” Sarma inquired.

The ‘Miya’ community would also not advance in comparison to other societal groups if female children are not allowed equal access to education or property rights, he said.

“So, I’m taking a constructive stance when it comes to the minority group. Put an end to madrassa education, transition pupils to a general school curriculum, outlaw child marriage and polygamy, and provide ladies and girls equal property rights.

“I’m not talking about voting when I visit Assamese minority regions. But these are the things I am discussing. The chief minister said, “You will see me in this election visiting different minority areas and speaking only about these issues.”

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He answered in the negative when asked whether problems like child marriage and polygamy are relevant to elections.

“I don’t see them as election-related problems. These are the problems that we may address to change Assam’s social structure.

Elections are elections, but my objective transcends them. To that end, I am use electoral politics.

“I will visit minority communities; I will not advocate voting or not. These are the subjects that are close to my heart, I will mention,” Sarma said.

The NEDA convenor said in October of last year that the BJP would not need the votes of the “Miya” people of the Char regions (riverine vegetative islands) for the next ten years, or until they changed their ways and stopped practicing child marriage and other outdated customs.

But in February of this year, he backed off, declaring that he will not run for office again for the next two years due to the necessity to finish a number of social initiatives, including the fight against child marriage and encroachment.

Sarma softened his stance further last month at an election campaign rally in Morigaon, expressing confidence that the BJP would win the support of girls, women, and young people from the ‘Miya’ community in the state’s upcoming Lok Sabha elections because of the good work being done to improve the lot of these minority groups.

The senior BJP leader said to PTI, in response to a question about the challenge presented by the united opposition in the Lok Sabha elections, “I don’t think there is any contest in Assam except in three seats.”

Firstly, it makes no difference what the so-called opposition unity is. due to the fact that all opposition parties lack support in Assam.”

He said, “The main opponents of the anti-BJP bloc are still the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), as the vote shares of the other several opposition parties are extremely small.”

“We will only be fighting for three seats; the other eleven seats will not be involved in any fighting. The party will be won handily,” Sarma said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Himanta thinks the NDA would not face opposition in the state’s first round of Lok Sabha elections.
He did not, however, reveal which three seats the BJP-led coalition would be up against in the next elections.

For the Lok Sabha elections, the governing NDA’s eleven candidates are announced by the BJP, two are nominated by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and one is proclaimed by the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).

Sarma subsequently increased the number of potential winners from the original estimate of 11 seats from Assam to 13.

When questioned about the rationale for reducing the number of guaranteed seats, he said, “We are making excellent progress in two of those three districts as the election goes on.

Additionally, our party poll indicates that we are gaining a lot of traction.

“In light of this, I will set a minimum of 11 seats and believe we can fill up to 13 of the 14 available. We seem to be on course.

In the current Lok Sabha, the BJP has nine state-affiliated MPs, the Congress has three, and the AIUDF has one.

One Independent MP is also present.

Speaking on the current election campaign, Sarma said that it is all about the excellent job that the federal government has done for Assam and the Northeast, as well as the peace, tranquility, and development that the state has seen since 2014.

Thus, Narendra Modi is the central figure in the whole electoral campaign. His outstanding development achievements for Assam and his strong emotional and cultural ties to the state are the main talking points in the election.

“He (Modi) visited 26 times as PM, he always dons Assamese Gamocha, he stayed one night in Kaziranga and recently he came to Assam to dedicate a giant statue of Lachit Borphukan,” Sarma said.

When asked about his viral dancing routines on the campaign trail, the chief minister said that music plays a significant part in everyone’s life and that Assam has a rich cultural heritage.

CM of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma
Voters decided to re-elect Modi, making the votes a formality: Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam