Assam CM Clarifies Arms License Policy Not Meant for Inter-State Border Areas
Facing criticism, Himanta Biswa Sarma says border regions with NE states won't come under new policy; opposition calls move political.
Bogged down by reactions from neighbouring states and opposition parties, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday clarified that his government’s arms licence policy will not apply to areas along the state’s borders with Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland. Assam and most northeastern states have a decades-old history of violent border conflicts, which have claimed more than 200 lives over the years. Although border disputes with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have been partially resolved, most inter-state border issues in the region remain unsettled.
In a social media clarification, the chief minister said, “There were some queries regarding whether the arms license policy would also apply to inter-State border areas such as those shared with Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland.” He added, “Let us clarify: Assam has always maintained that inter-State border issues are matters that can and should be resolved through mutual understanding and trust. We do not view these regions as vulnerable in the context of national security threats. Accordingly, the arms license policy will not be applicable to the inter-State border areas of Assam.”
He further asserted, “The Government of Assam firmly believes that inter-State boundary issues are not security vulnerabilities, but matters best resolved through understanding and peaceful negotiation.” The Assam cabinet’s decision announced that the arms licence policy will apply to the Barpeta, Dhubri, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar districts. Bengali-speaking Muslims form the majority in these districts, two of which — Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar — border Bangladesh.
Pointing out that the cabinet’s objective was not to militarise indigenous populations, Sarma said that people in vulnerable areas have long demanded arms licences. He reiterated that the government would be lenient in issuing arms licences to eligible individuals, who must be original inhabitants belonging to indigenous communities.
Meanwhile, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) strongly opposed the state government’s decision to issue arms licences to indigenous people, stating it could endanger public safety and undermine government authority. Reacting to the cabinet decision, Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev from Barak Valley said the arms licence policy “reduces the credibility of the Assam government to zero.”
She argued that the decision sends a message to people in border areas that the Border Security Force and Assam police cannot protect them from “illegal immigrants” and cross-border issues from Bangladesh. “The government can issue an arms license, but it cannot control how a person uses a gun. Once someone obtains a gun, they can use it against anyone,” she said.
“Finally, no clear definition of ‘indigenous people’ exists to date. It is the Chief Minister of Assam who decides daily who is indigenous and who is not. The NRC [National Register of Citizens] is still pending. This issue has been stirred up only because elections are approaching,” Dev added. She condemned the policy, saying it sets a dangerous precedent and sends a message nationwide that the people of Assam are unsafe under the current “double-engine sarkar.”