Guwahati: Opposition parties in Assam on Monday slammed the BJP-led state government over its bid to enact a law to end polygamy in the state, terming it a "purely political move". Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia said the law should not be "forced on the people" and there should be proper discussion, mutual respect and consent of all concerned.
"The minority commission, in its report submitted to the Central government, earlier had stated that the allegation of Muslims in the state having a larger family is not true. It is purely a political move to appease a section of the society," Debabrata Saikia said.
"It was not necessary to impose the law as there has already been a proposal of bringing in the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and when it will be enacted, then all the provisions will be covered under it," he said.
The Congress leader said with Assam already being in the concurrent list, it was not necessary for the state government to be proactive in enacting polygamy so hastily.
Senior All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Aminul Islam said the prime agenda of the Assam government was to target the Muslim community.
"The prime agenda of the Assam government is to target the Muslim community and to prove that it has suppressed the community in issues like tripal talaq and hijab. Now, the saffron party wants to win the hearts of the masses by bringing in a law to end polygamy," Islam said.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said an expert committee formed by the government to study the ban on polygamy submitted its report.
"The expert committee, formed to examine the legislative competence of the State Legislature to enact a law to end polygamy in Assam, submitted its report. Assam is now closer of creating a positive ecosystem for women's empowerment irrespective of caste, creed or religion," Sarma tweeted.
On May 11 this year, the state government had constituted a four-member expert committee to examine the legislative competence of state legislature to enact a law to end polygamy.
The expert committee comprised of Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan (retired) as the chairperson, Assam advocate general Debajit Saikia and additional advocate general Nalin S Kohli as members and Nekibur Zaman as advocate.
The committee was given a deadline of 60 days to submit its report.
Earlier this year, Sarma had announced that the state government would move to ban the practice of polygamy in Assam through "legislative action".
Sarma had also emphasised that the ban on polygamy would be achieved through consensus and not aggression.
Polygamy is a type of marriage that involves marrying more than one partner.