The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government will conduct a socio-economic assessment of Assam’s indigenous minorities. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Sarma in Guwahati on Friday.






"A socio-economic assessment of indigenous Assamese Muslims will be conducted through the Directorate of Minority Affairs and Char Areas," Sarma posted on X.


According to news agency PTI, the meeting took a decision to rename Directorate of Char Areas Development, Assam as the Directorate of Minority Affairs and Char Areas, Assam. The state cabinet also gave in-principle approval to the issue of detailed procedure/standard operating procedure (SOP) for allowing traditional buffalo and bullfights that are organised during Magh Bihu.


The SOP seeks to ensure that no deliberate torture or cruelty is carried out on the animals and their well-being is provided for by the organisers during the annual buffalo fights, an integral part of the centuries-old Assamese cultural tradition.


An amount of Rs 259 crore has been senctioned by the council of ministers to construct libraries across the state. "For inculcating the habit of reading among students, libraries for children and adolescents, and digital infrastructure will be created under the 'Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24'," Assam government said.


The scheme aims at commencing construction of new libraries and procurement of books, furniture, computers with internet connectivity in 2,197 village panchayats and 400 municipal wards.


Assam Was Originally Part Of Myanmar: Kapil Sibal In SC


Senior Advocate and former Congress leader Kapil Sibal said on Tuesday that Assam was originally a part of Myanmar. Sibal made the remarks while presenting arguments in the Supreme Court during a hearing on a batch of petitions pertaining to Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.


"Migration of people and populations is embedded in history and cannot be mapped. If you look at the history of Assam, you'll realise that it is impossible to figure out who came when," he said during the hearing, as quoted by India Today.


"Assam was originally a part of Myanmar. It was way back in 1824 after the British conquered part of the territory that a treaty was entered into by which Assam was handed over to the British. You can imagine the kind of movement of people that might have taken place in the context of the then British Empire," he further said.


The Assam CM reacted to Sibal's claims and said that Assam was never a part of Myanmar.   






'From Times Of Mahabharat, We Have Firmly Been Part Of Bharatvarsh': BJP Hits Back At Sibal 


Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pijush Hazarika hit out at Kapil Sibal over the "Assam was part of Myanmar" remark and said that at no point in Assam's history was it a part of Myanmar. "From the times of Mahabharat and before, we have firmly been an integral part of Bharatvarsh," Hazarika said.