Page 6 - Assam

Zero-tolerance policy in dealing with crimes against women: Assam CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asserted that his government has a policy of zero-tolerance in dealing with crimes against women and drastic action is taken against the culprits in such cases. He also said the state's police force is setting an example with its prompt action in cases of crimes against women. When an incident (like rape) happens in Assam, police take quick action. No compromise is made. When it comes to matters of crimes against women, we have a zero-tolerance policy, Sarma told reporters. Referring to the gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Dhing, the main accused in which died while purportedly trying to escape from police custody, Sarma said, The incident happened two days back. The police arrested the accused, he tried to escape by jumping into water and died in the process. On another case in which a person accused of molesting a girl was injured in police firing while reportedly trying to flee in Tezpur, the CM said, He tried to escape and w

Hindus not migrating to India, fighting in trouble-torn B'desh: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday claimed Hindus have not tried to enter India from Bangladesh since the neighbouring country plunged into instability. Hindus are staying and fighting in Bangladesh. In the last one month, not a single Hindu person has been detected trying to enter India, he said at a press conference here. He also asserted that Muslims from the neighbouring country were attempting to crossover to seek employment in India's textile sector. 35 Muslim infiltrators have been arrested in the past one month... they are trying to enter, but those coming are not for Assam, but to go to Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore to work in the textile industry, the CM claimed. We have requested our prime minister to impress upon the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of Hindus, he added.

ED conducts searches in case related to Assam govt funds' misappropriation

Bank and fixed deposits worth Rs 34 crore were attached under the anti-money laundering law following searches in a case related to alleged misappropriation of Assam government funds meant for the welfare of construction workers, the ED said on Saturday. The case pertains to the "fraudulent" award of contracts worth Rs 118 crore during 2013-16 by the Assam Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (ABOCWWB) to a company named Purbashree Printing House, a proprietorship of Priyanshu Boiragi. "It is a case of misappropriation of money collected as cess for the welfare of construction workers. During the searches, various incriminating documents and materials were seized," the federal agency said in a statement. It did not say when the searches were conducted. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) added that it also attached "proceeds of crime" of Rs 34.03 crore in the form of bank and fixed deposits. The money-laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Chief Minister

47,928 illegal immigrants detected in state between 1971-2014: Assam govt

The Assam government said that 47,928 illegal immigrants were detected in the state during the period between 1971 and 2014 and out of them 43 per cent are Hindus.The Foreigners' Tribunals of the state declared these people as foreigners during this period.Replying to a written question of AGP MLA Ponakan Baruah, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma who also holds the Home Department portfolio said that from 1971 to 2014 the Foreigners' Tribunals declared 47928 persons as foreigners and out of them 20,613 are Hindus and 27,309 are Muslims and six belonged to other religions.According to the state government data, out of a total of 20,613 Hindus declared as illegal immigrants by the Foreigners' Tribunals, 8,139 are from Cachar district, 2884 from Guwahati city, 1574 from Lakhimpur district, 1038 from Dibrugarh district.On the other hand, out of 27309 Muslims declared as illegal immigrants by the Foreigners' Tribunals, 4182 are from Jorhat district, 3,897 from Guwahati city, ...

47,928 foreigners detected in Assam in 43 years, 43% of them Hindus

The Assam government on Thursday said over 47,900 foreigners have been detected in the state from 1971 to 2014, out of which more than 43 per cent are Hindus. In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Ponakan Baruah, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Foreigners Tribunal (FT) has declared 47,928 people as foreigners between 1971 and 2014. Out of them, 27,309 were Muslims, 20,613 Hindus and six belonged to other religions, he said. The CM said the highest number of foreigners was detected in Cachar. Out of 10,152 declared foreigners, 8,139 were Hindus and the remaining 2,013 were Muslims. As per the Assam Accord, names of all foreigners coming to the state on or after March 25, 1971 would be detected and deleted from electoral rolls and steps would be taken to deport them. Sarma said that according to the 2011 census, the state had a total Assamese speaking population of 1.51 crore, making up 48.38 per cent of the 3.12 crore residents. There were 90.24 lakh Bengali speakin

Autumn session of Assam Assembly begins on stormy note, Oppn stages walkout

The autumn session of the Assam Assembly began on a stormy note on Thursday with the entire opposition staging a walkout after the rejection of their three adjournment motions. When their motions were rejected by Speaker Biswajit Daimary, members of Congress, AIUDF, CPI(M) and Raijor Dal went to the Well of the House with placards and shouted slogans in support of their demands. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia raised the issue of exorbitant charges through smart metres, while Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi wanted to discuss a recent case of the attack on a minor national-level player, and AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam raised the proposal on the restriction of land sale-purchase between two communities. "Electricity is a basic amenity and the public can't be deprived of it. It's also in the concurrent list. The smart metres are charging exorbitant amounts and poor people are suffering. The subject needs urgent attention," Saikia said. Islam said it's the constitutional right of an .

Assam to table Bill to compulsory register marriage, divorce of Muslims

The Assam government will introduce a bill in the upcoming Autumn Session of Assembly for compulsory government registration of marriage and divorce of Muslim people, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Sarma said the government will table the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, 2024 during the upcoming session, which will begin on Thursday. "Earlier, Muslim marriages were registered by the Kazis. However, this new bill will ensure that all marriages of the community will be registered with the government," he added. Sarma also claimed that marriages of minors were also registered by the Kazis earlier, but the proposed bill will prohibit any such move. "Now, minor marriage registration will not happen at all. We want to end the menace of child marriage. So, the marriages will be registered at the Sub-Registrar's Office," he added, citing cabinet decisions. Sarma said that there will not be a

ASDMA signs MoU with GSI for early warning system for landslides in Assam

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has signed an MoU with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for implementation of experimental regional Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) for combating the problem of landslides in the state. The MoU was signed by ASDMA CEO Gyanendra Dev Tripathi and Siladitya Sengupta, deputy director general, SU: Assam, GSI on Friday, an official statement said. The problem of landslides sometimes goes unnoticed or individual landslides are being dealt with ad-hoc response mechanisms, and the problem keeps on recurring every year. In addition to lives lost, large numbers of houses along with infrastructures destroyed in landslides in the hilly terrains of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Karimganj and Kamrup Metropolitan districts. During recent times, one of the major thrust areas in landslide risk reduction is the development of a regional LEWS for a large area with inputs from static landslide susceptibility and hazard maps, dynamic .

Kolkata rape-murder: Assam doctors join nationwide protest, demand justice

Doctors across Assam on Saturday joined the nationwide protest against the rape and murder of a doctor in a Kolkata hospital, demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits and a central law to ensure safety of medical professionals. Out-patient and non-essential services came to a near halt in all hospitals as doctors assembled on the premises, wearing black badges and displaying placards to press for their demands. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had declared a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services for 24 hours from 6 am on August 17 to protest against the crime. The withdrawal is across all the sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service, the doctors' body said. "We want justice for the victim, the family, that is our first demand. We also want to emphasise the need for awareness and education in the society so that such crimes are not repeated," a resident doctor at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here said. Another female

Mamata should avoid doing politics over doctor's rape-murder: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma on Friday lashed out at his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, asking her to "stop indulging in politics" over the rape and murder of a woman doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Sarma's assertion while speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of a BJP meeting came in response to Banerjee accusing the opposition parties in West Bengal of being behind vandalism at the hospital in north Kolkata on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. "The incident that happened in Kolkata is very sad and the people of West Bengal and the entire country are in a state of shock. Mamata didi should avoid doing politics over the matter. She should focus on finding out who was behind the incident and fixing the accountability," Sarma said while replying to a query on Banerjee's allegations. "If you (Mamata Banerjee) do politics even after such a tragic incident, I believe this is very wrong. In such a time accusing others is

2 IED-like devices found in Guwahati after ULFA(I) claims to plant 24 bombs

Two 'IED-like devices' were found in Guwahati on Friday, taking the total number of 'bomb-like substances' seized across Assam in the last 24 hours to 10 after the banned ULFA (I) claimed to have planted 24 explosives to trigger serial blasts in the state, a top police official said. One of the devices was found in Satgaon area, near Narengi Army Cantonment, and another at Last Gate in close vicinity of the state secretariat and ministers' colony, where the chief minister's residence is also located. The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), in an email to media houses, including PTI, on Thursday gave out a list identifying exact locations of 19 bombs with photographs but could not pinpoint the remaining five spots. ULFA said the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6 am and noon on Thursday but after failure in execution as the bombs did not explode due to 'technical failure', it sought public cooperation for defusing the explosive devices. "We had been carrying ou

ULFA(I) claims to plant 24 bombs across Assam, triggers statewide alert

The banned ULFA(I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs at 24 places across Assam, prompting the security forces to send teams to look for explosives. A senior police officer said bomb disposal squads have been rushed to all the places mentioned by ULFA (I) but there is no report of recovery of any bomb or explosive. In an email purportedly from the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) (Independent) to media houses, including PTI, the terror outfit asserted that the bombs did not blast due to "technical failure". It gave a list identifying the exact location of 19 bombs and said locations of five more explosives could not be ascertained. It sought public cooperation in defusing the bombs. When contacted, a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters told PTI that all the SPs of the districts, especially those mentioned in the list by the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA, have been alerted and asked to carry out a thorough search of the areas. "Bomb disposal squads, metal ...

Assam's future at risk as Hindu-Muslim population balance eroding: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the future of the state is "not secure" as the population balance between Hindus and Muslims is declining fast. Hoisting the Tri-Colour here, Sarma also said that the indigenous people have gone in a defensive mode due to demographic change in Assam as "we are a minority in 12-13 districts". "The future of Assam is not secure for us. The Hindu-Muslim population balance is declining fast. The Muslim population in 2021 rose to 41 per cent, while the Hindus were down to 57 per cent. The rest is shared by Christians and other communities," he claimed. In his official speech on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, the CM asserted that the Hindu population is slowly going down to 50 per cent from 60-65 per cent. "In such a crisis phase, I am trying to bring back the population balance. I request all Hindus, Muslims and others to follow the family planning norms. We should be aware against polygamy by all sections of the ...

50-yr-old Dulon Das becomes first in Assam to get citizenship under CAA

Dulon Das (50) has become the first person in Assam to receive citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), sparking strong reactions from opposition parties and student groups. Originally from Bangladesh's Sylhet, Das entered India in 1988 and settled in Silchar, Cachar district. He did not apply for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) but managed to obtain various government documents, including a voter card, driving licence and PAN and Aadhaar cards, despite his illegal status, one of his kin alleged. "He applied for citizenship through the dedicated online portal on April 1. It was approved yesterday and he received a mail from the Union Home Ministry. Das has now been asked to collect the citizenship certificate physically," he added. During the application process, Das provided a land deed from his father, who had purchased land in Sylhet district in 1986. Das is married to an Indian woman, and they have two children born in Assam. The Citizenship (Amendment)

Karnataka, Himachal, Assam got highest funds for flood relief: Govt

The Centre granted the highest allocation to Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Assam under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in the last two years, 2022-2024, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The funds were given for relief and rehabilitation of people affected in natural disasters. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said while Rs 941 crore was approved by the Centre's high-level committee for Karnataka, Rs 873 crore and Rs 594 crore were approved for Himachal Pradesh and Assam for floods and landslides in 2022-24. In a written reply, he said Rs 939 crore was released to Karnataka from the NDRF, Rs 812 crore to Himachal Pradesh and Rs 160 crore to Assam in the last two years. Rai said Tamil Nadu has been given Rs 276 crore for flood and cyclone, Sikkim Rs 267 crore for flood and landslides, Nagaland Rs 68 crore in the last two years. The minister said during 2024-25 (as on July 31, 2024), Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) have been constit

Assam CM Sarma raises concern over infiltration amid turmoil in Bangladesh

Himanta Biswa Sharma also voiced the possibility of Bangladesh becoming a safe ground for terrorist activities in the future

Heavy rain causes waterlogging, disruption of normal life in Guwahati

Heavy rain lashed Assam's capital Guwahati on Monday, leading to waterlogging in several areas, inconveniencing commuters and school students. Accumulation of water was reported from almost all peripheral roads in the city, with people stranded in their vehicles for hours amid heavy traffic. People returning from office, school children and even ambulances were reportedly stuck till late in the evening due to inundated roads. "My daughter is a Class-3 student and she left her school at 1:30 pm. But, the school bus continued to be stuck at Choy Mile. I also could not take out my car. So, I walked around three km and just met her," said Pranoy Sharma, holding her in his arms on a flooded street. The Kamrup Metropolitan administration, which primarily comprises the Guwahati city, has ordered the closure of all educational institutions on Tuesday in the wake of inclement weather. "In view of the flash flood caused by heavy rains in Guwahati City, all educational institutes, both govt

Assam to make 'love jihad' punishable with life imprisonment, says CM Sarma

Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have enacted 'love jihad' legislation

West Bengal floods: Mamata points finger at Jharkhand; Assam CM hits back

Mamata Banerjee raised concerns about the sudden and huge release of water from Tenughat, which has already started flooding Bengal

Assam govt to bring law soon for life imprisonment in 'love jihad' cases

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said his government will soon introduce a law for life imprisonment in cases of love jihad'. Speaking at the state BJP executive meet here, he said, We spoke about love jihad' during the elections. Soon, we will bring a law, which will award life imprisonment in such cases. Sarma also said a new domicile policy will be introduced soon, under which only those born in Assam will be eligible for state government jobs. He maintained that indigenous people have received priority in the one lakh government jobs provided as per a pre-poll promise, which will be evident when the complete list is published. The CM said the Assam government has also taken a decision regarding the sale of land between Hindus and Muslims. Sarma said though the government cannot prevent such a transaction, it has made it mandatory to take consent of the chief minister before going ahead.