Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday, November 9, announced that the state government will start issuing firearm licences to indigenous people living in “vulnerable and remote” areas from February 2026.
Addressing a press conference following a cabinet meeting held at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Sarma said the initiative aims to strengthen the sense of security among local residents in sensitive areas such as Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar, along with localities like Rupahi, Dhing, and Jania.
“We have received a lot of applications for firearm licences from indigenous people. The government will issue them very selectively and through a formal procedure,” the Chief Minister said.
The decision follows an earlier cabinet resolution passed on May 28, which permitted firearm licences for residents of vulnerable regions, particularly those along inter-state and international borders.
During the briefing, Sarma also touched upon changing social and economic patterns in the state. He claimed that Assam is witnessing an “economic shift,” with sections of the Muslim population becoming more prosperous, while expressing concern over the sale of land from Hindus to Muslims in several districts. “Demographic change can be accepted at times, but an economic shift indicates deeper social transformation,” he said.
Sarma clarified that the new policy does not target any community. “There are many Assamese and indigenous Muslims involved. We have no issue with that. The government’s only concern is to ensure the protection and balance of Assam’s indigenous population,” he stated.
In another major decision, the cabinet also approved the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, which will be introduced in the upcoming assembly session on November 25. The Bill seeks to outlaw the practice of polygamy, making it a cognisable and non-bailable offence punishable by up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
However, the legislation will not apply to areas under the Sixth Schedule, including the Bodoland Territorial Region, Dima Hasao, and Karbi Anglong or to Scheduled Tribe populations. “If a Muslim has been residing in a Sixth Schedule area before 2005, he will also be exempted,” Sarma added.
The Chief Minister also announced the creation of a compensation fund to support women affected by polygamous marriages. “We have decided to establish a fund to ensure that no woman faces hardship after being abandoned or mistreated,” he said.
Sarma added that details regarding compensation and children’s welfare will be defined in the law’s implementation rules.
Concluding his remarks, the Chief Minister said he would soon hold a detailed briefing on the state’s demographic and economic trends. “You can sometimes accept demographic change, but witnessing an economic shift signals complete destruction,” he said.
The firearm licensing initiative and the proposed polygamy prohibition bill are part of the government’s broader efforts to ensure social stability, gender justice, and protection of indigenous rights in Assam.
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