In a seismic shift, Assam, the northeastern state of India, has bid farewell to an archaic 89-year-old law permitting marriages involving underage Muslims. Despite objections from minority leaders decrying the move as a political ploy to sow religious division ahead of elections, Assam is steadfast in its commitment to uniform civil laws governing marriage, divorce, adoption, and inheritance, mirroring the recent strides taken by Uttarakhand.
The now-defunct Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act of 1935, which sanctioned marriages even when the participants were below the legal ages of 18 and 21, met its demise on February 24, as announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. “This act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21… This move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam,” Sarma remarked.
The decision, however, elicited mixed reactions. While proponents hailed it as a crucial stride towards safeguarding the rights of minors, Muslim leaders decried it as discriminatory and a harbinger of further attempts to impose a Uniform Civil Code, vehemently opposed by the Muslim community. Badruddin Ajmal, a prominent lawmaker from Assam, warned against the BJP’s alleged strategy of religious polarization, vowing resistance against any such endeavors.
Assam’s demographic tapestry, woven with diverse ethnicities and religious affiliations, often witnesses tensions, particularly between the Muslim populace with roots tracing back to Bangladesh and the predominantly Hindu Assamese. Against this backdrop, the BJP, touting itself as the guardian of ethnic communities, faces both acclaim and skepticism in its pursuit of legal reforms.
While Assam’s stride towards modernizing its legal framework reflects a broader trend towards uniformity in civil laws across India, the journey ahead remains fraught with challenges and dissent. As Assam grapples with the ramifications of its decision, the nation watches, contemplating the implications for its socio-political landscape.
