Silchar (Assam)— Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the state’s proposed “love-jihad” law will include provisions to arrest the parents of male accused in such cases. The legislation, along with a bill against polygamy, is expected to be introduced in the upcoming session of the Assam Assembly.
Speaking at a women-empowerment cheque distribution event in Lakhipur, Cachar district, Sarma said the government aims to protect women from what he described as “traps of love-jihad and polygamy.” He added that the law would impose severe penalties on offenders.
“We are bringing stringent laws. Parents of the male accused in love-jihad cases will also be held accountable and face arrest under the new law,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister also declared that women with more than three children would be ineligible for government welfare schemes. “You may have as many children as you wish, but don’t expect government assistance to raise them or send them to government schools,” he said.
Addressing the proposed anti-polygamy measure, Sarma stated that men who marry more than one woman could face up to seven years in prison, noting that such practices mostly harm women.
He also dismissed rumours that 19 villages from Cachar district were being transferred to Dima Hasao under the April 2023 peace accord with the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA). “This is false propaganda spread by the Congress. Not a single village from Cachar will go to Dima Hasao,” he clarified.
Responding to activist Medha Patkar’s remarks on the probe into singer Zubeen Garg’s death and eviction drives in the state, Sarma accused outsiders of misunderstanding Assam’s ground realities. “One community is trying to grab our land and deceive our sisters through tricks like love-jihad. People like Medha Patkar won’t see that. If she protests here against evictions, we will take strict action,” he warned.
