AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has once again come down heavily on the Assam government after the state government's crackdown on child marriages, describing the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led dispensation as "anti-Muslims".
“It's the BJP government there for the past six years. What did they do about it? It's their failure. How many schools did they open? When they are taking action? What will they do about girls who were married off? The Assam government is anti-Muslim and biased,” news agency ANI quoted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president as saying on Sunday.
On Saturday, Owaisi demanded to know who will take care of the girls who were left in the lurch after the state government's crackdown. Speaking to reporters, he said it is the failure of the state government which has been keeping quiet for the past six years.
Chief minister Sarma on Saturday asserted that the drive against child marriage, launched by the state police from the previous day, will continue till the next assembly elections in 2026.
"What have you been doing during the past six years? This is your failure for the past six years. You are sending them to jails. Now, who will take care of those girls? CM (Himanta Biswa Sarma) do? Marriage will remain there. It is a failure of the state and on top that you are pushing them into misery," he said in a press conference.
{{/usCountry}}"What have you been doing during the past six years? This is your failure for the past six years. You are sending them to jails. Now, who will take care of those girls? CM (Himanta Biswa Sarma) do? Marriage will remain there. It is a failure of the state and on top that you are pushing them into misery," he said in a press conference.
{{/usCountry}}More than 2,250 people have been arrested in the state till Saturday in the crackdown on child marriage, according to an official statement from the Assam Government said. Altogether 2,258 people have been arrested so far based on 4,074 FIRs registered against child marriages across the state, it said.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)