Assam decides to map indigenous Muslims days after CM says, ‘don’t need Miya votes’

Himanta Biswa Sarma said Sunday the BJP did not need ‘Miya (Muslim)’ votes for the next 10 years unless they 'reformed themselves by abandoning practices such as child marriage'.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma | ANI file photo

New Delhi: The BJP-ruled Assam government will conduct a socio-economic assessment of indigenous Muslim communities in the state, the chief minister’s office (CMO) announced Tuesday.

In a meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed officials to conduct a survey of the Goria, Moria, Deshi, Syed and Jolha communities.

The findings will guide the state government to take suitable measures aimed at the socio-political and educational upliftment of the state’s indigenous minorities, the CMO said.

The decision comes two days after Sarma said the BJP did not need “Miya (Muslim)” votes of “char” (riverine sandbar) areas for the next 10 years, unless they “reformed themselves” by abandoning practices such as child marriage.

Sarma, however, said “Miya” people supported him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, and that they could continue to shout slogans in favour of the saffron brigade without voting for it.

“The BJP will do public welfare and they will support us, but they don’t need to vote for us. There is no harm in supporting us. Let them shout ‘zindabad’ for Himanta Biswa Sarma, Narendra Modi and the BJP,” he told reporters on Sunday.

The chief minister added, “When elections arrive, I will request them not to vote for us. You can vote for us when you follow family planning, stop child marriages and shed fundamentalism,” he said. He added it would take 10 years for the community to achieve these “targets”.

“We will seek votes after 10 years, not now,”  the chief minister said.

He added those voting for the BJP should not have more than two or three children, must send their daughters to school, should not encourage child marriage and shun fundamentalism and adopt Sufism.

When pointed out that many “chars” – where predominantly Bengali-speaking Muslims live – did not have proper schools, he said: “It can’t happen that minority students won’t get a chance to study. We will open seven colleges in minority areas in the coming days.”