Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma passed a derogatory statement against All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal on Saturday. The Assam Chief Minister said if Ajmal was planning for a second or third marriage he should do it before the Lok Sabha elections as polygamy will be banned in the state after that.
‘No polygamy, child marriage’: Assam CM sets condition for Bangladeshi Muslims
“If he (Ajmal) is considering marrying again, he should do so now, as after the elections, we are going to bring the UCC in Assam. Thereafter, it could be a problem, as he could even face arrest for practicing polygamy. So, if he is planning to get married before the elections come calling, I could even attend his nuptials. It (polygamy) isn’t illegal yet. From what I know, he has a single wife. It’s alright if he is planning to have his nuptial vows read to him a second time and more now, before the elections. After the elections, however, polygamy will be banned. He could even invite us too,” the Assam CM told reporters.
The BJP government in Assam is planning to roll out the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) under which polygamy will be banned. Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to pass the UCC Bill in February this year.
Uttarakhand Assembly passes UCC Bill
The chief minister had earlier said that Assam will be the third state after Uttarakhand and Gujarat to introduce the Bill on the UCC. However, the tribal communities will be exempted from its ambit.
A UCC implies that all sections of the society, irrespective of their religion, shall be treated equally according to a national civil code, which shall be applicable to all uniformly, covering areas like marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance, adoption, and succession of the property.
Uttarakhand UCC Bill bans bigamy, polygamy
Badruddin Ajmal is a lone AIDUF member in the Lok Sabha from Dhubri. The perfume baron, Ajmal is bidding for a fresh term in the Lower House from the same constituency in the 2024 polls. Ajmal is a known critic of the Uniform Civil Code and has called it, “anti-Quran and anti-Islamic”.
Significantly, the Assam cabinet repealed the ‘Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, of 1935 last month, evoking criticism from minority leaders across the state and country.
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Published: 31 Mar 2024, 07:22 AM IST