Muslim Marriage Act: Assam CM Himanta Sarma says ‘won't allow child marriage as long as…'
The state cabinet on Friday approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, for repealing the British-era Marriage and Divorce Act specific to Muslims.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday asserted that he will not allow child marriages in the state and will repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 “as long as he is alive”. Hitting out at the Opposition in the state assembly, Himanta Biswa Sarma pledged that he would eliminate child marriage in the state before 2026.
Himanta Biswa Sarma's comments came as the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) walked out of the assembly, protesting against the state cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.
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“Hear me carefully, as long as I am alive, I will not let child marriage take place in Assam. I will not let this happen as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive...I would like to challenge you politically, I will shut down this shop before 2026…We will not rest in peace until we completely close the shop that you people (Congress) have opened to ruin the daughters of the Muslim community,” the Assam CM said in a fiery speech in the House.
The state cabinet on Friday approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, for repealing the British-era Marriage and Divorce Act specific to Muslims. Notably, the Act provided for voluntary registration of Muslim marriages and divorces and allowed the government to provide a licence to a Muslim person authorising him to register Muslim marriages and divorces on applications.
According to Sarma, repealing the Act will get Muslim women of the state relief from “torture and exploitation” and help end child marriage.
“The torture, and exploitation that has been going on against Muslim mothers for so long will be ended with this bill. The Prime Minister ended triple talaq. But in Assam only because of this act, a Kazi would not have been faulted if he had registered the marriage of a below 18-year-old girl and he had gotten bail from the court. Now to give talaq will not be easy after the repeal of this act and there will no no registration of marriage below 18 years old girl,” Sarma said while addressing the media on Friday.
(With inputs from agencies)
