Guwahati: In a controversial move aimed at bolstering the security of indigenous Hindus, the Assam government has decided to issue arms licenses to residents of minority-dominated districts. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has defended the decision, citing the need for self-defence in areas where followers of Sanatan Dharma are vastly outnumbered.
The Chief Minister pointed to districts like South Salmara-Mankachar and Bhaghbar, where small indigenous populations, sometimes as few as 100 people, live amidst much larger communities of 20,000 to 30,000. “Without a gun, how will one live there?” he asked, stressing that such measures were a duty to protect Sanatan Dharma.
The state cabinet on May 28 approved the issuance of these licences to indigenous residents in “vulnerable and remote” areas, a decision Sarma says is a response to longstanding demands dating back to the Assam Agitation. The process, he assured, would be strictly legal and involve scrutiny through a digital portal. The move has not gone unchallenged. Opposition leaders have condemned it as a divisive step that could endanger communal harmony.
Concurrently, the Nari Nagarik Manch, a women’s collective, has appealed to the government to withdraw the decision, warning that it could lead to increased gun culture, gender violence, and even civil strife. The Manch argued that the policy is a setback to years of peace-building efforts in the state, which has a history of militancy, and urged the government to focus on strengthening law enforcement instead of “weaponising civilians.”
The debate continues, with the state government firm on its stance and critics raising alarms about the potential for escalating tensions.