Guwahati, Nov 9 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that his government will issue the first batch of firearm licences in February 2026 to indigenous people living in "vulnerable and remote" areas.

He claimed that an economic shift is taking place in Assam, with Muslims becoming more prosperous and this could mean that "surrender of Assamese people has begun".

Sarma also said that the state cabinet has approved a Bill to ban the practice of polygamy, for which convicts may face up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.

Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma said the authorities have received "a lot" of applications for firearm licences from the indigenous people and are currently scrutinising those.

The government will give the licences very selectively and not all the people wanting to have a firearm will be permitted, Sarma said.

"The first batch of licences under this scheme will be given in February," he added.

The decision gains significance as the state will go to assembly polls soon after the issuance of the first batch of firearm licences. The assembly elections to 126 constituencies are likely to be held in March-April of next year.

The Assam cabinet on May 28 had decided that the government would give firearm licences to indigenous people living in "vulnerable and remote" areas for instilling a sense of security in them.

Minority-dominated Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon and South Salmara-Mankachar districts, and some other localities such as Rupahi, Dhing and Jania were stated as "vulnerable and remote areas".

During the press conference, the CM also claimed that the growth of Hindu population is coming down, while that of Muslims is increasing.

"I have the data on the growth of the Hindu and Muslim populations between 2001 and 2011. In every block of Assam, the growth of the Hindu population is coming down and the Muslim population is increasing," he added.

"I have noticed that demographic change has taken place rapidly in the economic aspect as well. In a way, a chapter of the Assamese people's surrender has begun," Sarma said.

The CM said that the government scrutinises the permissions for the sale of land between Hindus and Muslims as per a new directive issued last year.

"We are seeing that the sale of land from Hindus to Muslims is very high, while the vice versa is less," he said.

He, however, stressed that these permissions comprise a lot of Assamese and indigenous Muslims, and the BJP-led government does not have any problem with that.

"Apart from demographic change, there has been a shift in wealth creation as well. So far, we were thinking that only the numbers have risen, but now see that even the wealth pattern has changed," Sarma claimed.

Sarma said he will later hold a detailed press conference on the topic and elaborate on it then.

"You can sometimes accept the demographic change in population, but witnessing an economic shift signals complete destruction. Earlier, we did not know about this. But now, we are getting the data as government permission is required (for the sale of land)," the CM said.

Last year, the Assam government took a decision regarding the sale of land between Hindus and Muslims, and made it mandatory to take consent of the chief minister's office before going ahead.

The CM further said that the state cabinet has approved a Bill to ban polygamy, for which convicts may face up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.

However, there may be some exceptions for the Scheduled Tribe people and Sixth Schedule areas, he added.

Sarma said the government will also create a new fund to compensate the women victims of polygamy so that they do not face hardship in continuing with their lives.

"The Assam cabinet today approved a Bill to ban polygamy. The Bill will be called 'The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025'. It will be tabled in the assembly on November 25," he added.

Sarma said that if an accused is convicted of polygamy, he may face rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years.

"We have also decided to create a fund to give compensation to the victim women. The government will help with financial support in the required cases so that no woman faces hardship in her life," he added.

The detailed nature of the compensation like consideration of children will be mentioned in the rules of the law, he said.

The offence has been marked as cognisable offence and bail will not be immediately obtained by the accused, Sarma said.

On the exceptions, he said, "The ST population will be outside the ambit of this Bill because they have some customs. For the initial period, this law will also not be applicable in Sixth Schedule areas such as Bodoland Territorial Region, Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong." Sarma, however, said that if a Muslim has been living in a Sixth Schedule area prior to 2005, then he will also be exempted from the punitive measures of the polygamy law.

He also said that the polygamy act will be effective from the date of notification after its passage by the legislature, but not with retrospective effect. PTI TR TR ACD