Indigenous Muslims demand Constitutional safeguard

Large-scale inclusion of Bengali-speaking Muslims in complete draft NRC causes identity crisis for the community

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 19: Fearing an identity crisis due to the large-scale inclusion of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the complete draft NRC, the indigenous Muslims in Assam have demanded the State Government to fulfill its poll promise of according Constitutional safeguards to the community.

Azizur Rahman, general secretary of the Sadou Asom Goria-Moria-Deshi Jatiya Parishad, a forum of at least 40 lakh ‘indigenous Muslims’, said the ruling BJP had promised in its election manifestos in 2011, 2014 and 2016 that it would conduct a census of the indigenous Muslim groups like Goria, Moria, Deshis and accord them constitutional safeguards.

“The party seems to have forgotten its promise and has not even taken any welfare measures for the community,” Rahman said.

A recent meeting of the executive committee of Sadou Asom Goria-Moria-Deshi Jatiya Parishad held in the city resolved to put pressure on Dispur to accord Constitutional safeguards to indigenous Muslims to protect their ethnic identity and culture against the large Bengali-speaking population that had settled in Assam between 1951 and March 24 midnight, 1971, and have now been included in the complete draft NRC.

“Indigenous Muslims of Assam are often confused with the Muslims of East Pakistan and many a time considered Bangladeshis. The indigenous Muslim groups are either converts from local communities or war prisoners of the Mughal-Ahom wars. So we have completely a different identity and must be protected,” eminent lawyer Nekibur Zaman said.

Zaman said the BJP Government must now fulfill its pre-poll promise by conducting a census of the indigenous Assamese Muslims and accord them special safeguards.

The Sadou Asom Goria-Moria-Deshi Jatiya Parishad claimed that of the 1.18 crore Muslims in the State, 42 lakh belong to indigenous Assamese communities such as Goria, Moria, Ujani, Deshi, Jola and Poimal, who had either converted to Islam or were war prisoners in the Mughals-Ahoms battles in Assam in the 13th Century.