Census of Indigenous Muslims A Nonstarter!

Census of Indigenous Muslims A Nonstarter!

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The proposed census of the indigenous Muslims of Assam continues to be a nonstarter, even after allocation of funds for the purpose. The indigenous Muslims of the State rued the fact that had there been such a census, a number of indigenous Muslims would have not been declared ‘ineligible for inclusion’ in the final NRC.

Talking to The Sentinel on Monday, Sadou Asom Goria-Moriya Deshi Jatiya Parishad (SAGMDJP) president Hafijul Ahmed said: “Rs 100 crore was allocated in the 2019-20 Budget for the development of Indigenous Muslims of the State. However, no plan has been drawn as yet for the development of the indigenous Muslims of the State. Had there been a census of the indigenous Muslims of the State as proposed by the State government, a large number of indigenous Muslims wouldn’t have been declared ineligible for inclusion in the final NRC.”

Ahmed, however, said: “We met the Chief Minister on the issue recently. He assured us of starting the census of indigenous Muslims of the State before December this year.”

The Assam Minority Development Board (AMDB) had also proposed to conduct such a census in phases, beginning from the upper Assam. When asked on the issue, a source in the Board said: “Rs 60 lakh was sanctioned for the census of indigenous Muslims in the State in fiscal 2017-18. However, the census couldn’t be carried out as the State Finance Department hasn’t released the amount as yet.”

In his speech for 2019-20 Budget, State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma went on record saying that the State government would conduct a socio-economic survey of the indigenous Muslims of the State. He also made the announcement of allocating Rs 100 crore for the development of the indigenous Muslims of the State.

Goria, Moriya, Deshi, Ujani, Jolah, Poimal, Syed and others are indigenous Muslims of the State.

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com