North East Rising

Assam, 30th November: Assam government is working on a new marriage law that will make mandatory to disclose religion and source of income among other things for both the bride and the groom This move has come to light as several BJP-ruled states announcing laws to tackle incidents of ‘Love Jihad‘.

Assam Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that the state government’s new marriage will not resemble the one being implemented in Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. This law will basically empower women.

“Obviously, it will have an element of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh where you have to disclose your religion and you cannot hide your religion on social media. But this act will bring full transparency between husband and wife which includes their religion and it will have a legal entity,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Minister went on to add, “Assam is up for elections in the next four months and so we should not bring a legislature at the fate of our term.”

“This is an issue I will not say Love Jihad. My whole submission is that you should not enter into a married life if there is no transparency between the couple. It is important to disclose – what is my religion, what I do, how much do I earn. I am not saying that you should only disclose your religion. I think you should also disclose your income, members of your family, what is your business. Because many times, the girl enters into marriage even if they are from the same religion and later on, the girl realizes that her husband is doing some wrong business,” Himanta Biswa Sarma added.

He also said, “Our idea is that, not Love Jihad, you should not hide your identity, including religion, business or income. It is a question of bringing transparency in marriage.”

Assam is going to do something which will not be against any religion but aims to bring inclusive transparency in the institution of marriage, Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

“We have already started drafting legislation which will bring transparency in the institution of marriage. We do not want to use the word Love Jihad. Not only for love affairs, it will be mandatory for even normal marriage also and both husband and wife will have to disclose it. There will be a disclosure pro forma which will be given to the wife by the husband and the wife will give it to the husband. It will not talk about religion, it will talk about everything which a wife needs to know,” he added.

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also revealed that these details regarding this law will have to be disclosed one month before the wedding.

Assam, 30th November: The Assam Government has decided to reopen elementary schools for students of classes Nursery to VI from January 1, 2021. The announcement has been made by Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday.

The decision to reopen schools has been taken in accordance with the Union Home Ministry’s order which allowed states to start classes after October 15 depending on the COVID-19 situation in their respective states.

Sarma while addressing a press conference at Janata Bhawan said that the state government has decided to reopen schools from classes nursery to VI for both government and private schools provided it will depend on the parents whether they will send the children to schools or not.

The college hostels will reopen from December 15 with limitations. The final year students of the colleges will be able to come to the hostels once it reopens, the minister said.

The minister also informed that instructions have been issued to the college principals to clean the hostels which were closed due to COVID19.

The minister informed that the decision to reopen elementary schools in Assam from Nursery standard to Class VI with effect from January 1, 2021, after discussions with the Prathamik Sikshak Sanmilani (Primary teachers association).

The guidelines regarding the classes and days will be issued later, minister Sarma said.

Assam, 30th November: At least six quintals of Marijuana worth more than Rs 1 crore was seized in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, police conducted a vehicle search at Khatkhati in Bokajan police station area and seized the contraband from a truck coming from Nagaland, a senior officer said.

After watching the police team, the driver and his helper left the vehicle and fled from the spot and a manhunt has been launched to nab them, he said.

“We have seized 580 kg of Marijuana worth around Rs 1.16 crore in the international market,” the officer said.

The consignment was slated to be delivered to a location outside the Northeast, he added.

Assam, 30th November: North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and Assam cabinet minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that Village Council Development Committees (VCDC) would be abolished in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), if the BJP forms Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

Dr Sarma said that Panchayat elections would be held in the areas under the BTC.

“BJP will abolish the VCDC. Panchayat elections will be conducted in the BTC areas so that no anomalies can take place,” he said at an election rally in Udalguri district.

Sarma alleged that during the reign of Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF, VCDCs were engaged in widespread corruption. He promised that this system would be abolished if the BJP assumes power in the BTR.