Key Points

Gogoi alleged that the recent move to issue arms licenses to indigenous people in select districts is a calculated attempt to provoke Hindu-Muslim tensions under the pretext of safeguarding local communities.

“If the government says it cannot protect indigenous people, it amounts to an admission that the Home Department has failed. It’s a shame,” he declared, while demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Gogoi claimed the initiative has little to do with security and everything to do with electoral politics, and accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of enabling the proliferation of arms among members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), thereby creating an atmosphere of fear, particularly among minority communities.

“This is not a routine policy move; it has the potential to tear Assam apart and disturb communal harmony before the elections,” he warned.

Drawing parallels with the past, Gogoi said similar tactics were used during the Congress regime, when Sarma was still part of that party.

“Now, facing dwindling popularity in the BJP, Sarma is repeating the same divisive strategies,” he said.

The legislator also raised alarm over the targeting of professionals, such as teachers, under the ongoing identification of suspected illegal immigrants. He alleged that such moves are being used to intimidate specific communities.

“This is not governance, it’s fear-mongering,” he stated.

Gogoi outlined what he described as a larger strategy at play: “First, the government distributes arms licenses. Then, people are arbitrarily labelled as foreigners. Now, local organisations are being used to spread hate. This sequence is not coincidental, it’s part of a deliberate plan to divide the state.”

Rejecting the government's justification that the arms policy is intended to protect indigenous groups, Gogoi urged alternative solutions.

“If the government truly cares about indigenous people, let it strengthen law enforcement, deploy more CRPF personnel, build police infrastructure, and ensure justice. Handing out weapons to civilians and RSS cadres is not the answer,” he said.

He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the arms license policy and called on the state cabinet to release all related documents to the public.

Warning of mass mobilisation if the policy is not scrapped, Gogoi said, “This will only sow chaos and spark communal conflict. We will launch strong protests if the government does not reverse course.”

In a move aimed at bolstering self-defence capabilities in Assam’s remote and sensitive areas, the state cabinet has approved the issuance of arms licences to “eligible residents” in vulnerable and border regions.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision on Wednesday, citing Assam’s unique security challenges and geographical vulnerabilities.

"Assam is a difficult and sensitive state," CM Sarma said.

"We have decided to issue arms licences to eligible individuals living in remote, vulnerable, and border areas. We will encourage original inhabitants and indigenous Indian citizens to apply under the provisions of the Arms Act," the Chief Minister said.

- IANS