Assam: Dispur to initiate process for arms licenses from next month

For protection of indigenous people in vulnerable areas

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The state government will officially launch the process to provide arms licenses to indigenous people in sensitive and vulnerable areas where they are in a minority and constantly face insecurity, starting next month.

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that from the first week of August, an online portal to facilitate applications for arms licenses to indigenous people will be launched. The state cabinet had approved the decision to provide such arms licenses to indigenous people in the last part of May.

The cabinet decision had faced lots of criticism when it approved the decision. But the government stood firm by its decision to provide arms licenses to indigenous people in vulnerable areas to tackle any threat to them.

After the cabinet decision, the CM said, “This is a sensitive decision. In districts like Barpeta, South Salmara-Mankachar, Goalpara, and Nagaon, the indigenous people are in a minority, and they feel insecure. The government is providing protection to the indigenous people, and these arms licenses will give them additional protection and also breed confidence among such people facing recurring threats. The licenses will be provided to those who fulfil the established criteria, regardless of the fact of their being indigenous people.”

Regarding the eviction drives, the CM reiterated, “In new Assam, forests thrive, animals rejoice, and immigrant settlers have to vacate encroached lands without a choice. Illegal occupation is bound to leave the minds of encroachers without any alternative.”

The government is getting ready to launch eviction drives in the Uriamghat and Negheribil areas in the Golaghat district from next Monday. The district administration today held talks with their Nagaland counterparts so that there is no misunderstanding, as the areas are situated along the Assam-Nagaland border. The indigenous Muslim villages in the Uriamghat and Negheribil areas have put up public notices saying ‘no entry for evicted people,’ and they are determined to resist any attempts by the evicted people to settle in the area. For the second day today, many encroachers are leaving the encroached lands and returning to their native places in the Nagaon and Morigaon districts.

 Also Read: Assam: AAMSU slams government’s arms license decision

Also Watch: