Muslims in Assam do not have multiple wives as they are jobless: Ajmal

Guwahati: While the Assam government is mulling to outlaw polygamy in the state, Badruddin Ajmal, the chief of All India United Democratic Front said that Muslims generally believe in monogamy and it is the Hindus who often marry multiple times.

Ajmal told reporters here on Friday, “The BJP and Assam Chief Minister has snatched everything from the Muslim people residing in the state. They do not have jobs, money and moreover Himanta Biswa Sarma is not allowing the Muslim people to sell vegetables in the streets for their living. Thus, Muslims even if they want to, cannot marry more than once.”

The Dhubri Lok Sabha MP went on to say that nowadays Hindus often have multiple wives.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that there is a strong public support favouring the ban on the polygamy in the state.

The state government had formed a committee to study the feasibility of introducing a law to ban polygamy in Assam. Following the submission of the report by the concerned committee, public opinion was sought by the government ahead of bringing a law in the state Assembly.

Sarma said, “We have received a total of 149 suggestions in response to our public notice. Out of these, 146 suggestions are in favor of the bill, indicating strong public support. However, three organisations have expressed their opposition to the bill.”

“We will now proceed to the next stage of the process, which is to complete the final drafting of the bill in the next 45 days,” he added.

In its report, the expert committee said that the Indian Constitution gives the Union and the States the power to create legislation on specific issues.