‘Repealing Assam Muslim Marriage Act isn't anti-Muslim as…,’ Assam MLA slams Waris Pathan, urges ‘mature’ response

Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Saturday responded to AIMIM leader Waris Pathan's ‘Anti-Muslim’ remark on the state cabinet decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act.

Piyush Hazarika further asked, “How does repealing an 89-year-old law that permits the marriage between a small girl and an adult male become anti-Muslim?”

Earlier, Waris Pathan alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is ‘anti-Muslim’ and that they want to polarise votes before the Lok Sabha polls.

As reported by ANI, AIMIM leader and Spokesperson Waris Pathan said, “BJP govt is anti-muslim, the law that is brought by Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam, this is a violation of article 25, 26 and 28 of the constitution, it is the fundamental right, everyone has the right to practice their religion. The BJP govt hates Muslims...they hate our eating habits. first, they brought a law on Triple Talaq and now a law against Muslim marriage...what is the need for a different law in Assam? As the elections are coming, they are trying to polarise.”

In response to Pathan's statement, Hazarika, in a post on X, said that Muslim leaders need to act maturely. “How does repealing an 89-year-old law that permits the marriage between a small girl and an adult male become anti-Muslim? Muslim leaders need to act maturely and stand alongside the interests of our daughters rather than standing for abhorrent social evils,” he said.

Earlier, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Rafiqul Islam on Saturday criticised the decision, calling it a "tactic to target Muslims."

Rafiqul, while speaking to ANI, claimed that the Assam government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, does not have the "courage" to bring the Uniform Civil Code, hence repealing the Marriage Act.

Also Read: Assam Muslim Marriages Act repealed: What changes are likely to happen?

"This Government doesn't dare to bring UCC. They can't do it. What they brought in Uttarakhand, is not UCC either...They were trying to bring UCC to Assam too. But I think they can't bring it to Assam because there are people from several castes and communities here...BJP followers themselves follow those practices here...Elections are approaching, this is just their tactics to target Muslims," he said.

In a step towards prohibiting child marriage in the state, the Assam Cabinet on Friday repealed the 'Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on ‘X’ and said that this move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam.

The “obsolete pre-independence” era Act Act was repealed in a bid to end child marriages, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. ''This Act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law,” Sarma posted on X.

The state government mentioned after repealing the law, “District Commissioners and District Registrars will be authorized to take custody of registration records currently in the custody of 94 Muslim Marriage Registrars on the repeal of the legislation under the overall supervision, guidance, and control of the Inspector General of Registration.”

(With inputs from agencies)