Mounting an aggressive campaign against the menace of ‘love jihad‘, the BJP government of Assam, which faces the incumbency test early next year in the assembly elections, is not projecting the elections as a mere democratic process which must be completed to install a government, but, as a civilizational battle which must be fought if the inherent Sanatan culture of Assam is to be saved, and if a Democratic takeover of the North-eastern state in the near future is to be prevented to truly save the rights of the indigenous people.
To the same effect, Himanta Biswa Sarma, NEDA Convenor and Assam’s Finance, Planning and Development, Health and Family Welfare, Education and P.W.D Minister has minced no words while giving a clarion call to the state’s majority community to rise to the occasion and save their land and culture from what he referred to as “Ajmal’s army”. On the specific issue of love jihad, the all-important Assam Minister said, “We will have to start a new and strict fight against love jihad on Assam’s soil. If the BJP comes to power again, we will decide that if any boy hides his religious identity and comments anything negative on Assamese daughters and women, he will face ruthless and rigorous punishment.”
Speaking of no less than the death penalty for those who duped Assamese girls by lying about their religious identity only to convert the victim for the purpose of heightening their own demographics, Himanta Biswa added, “We have taken an oath that if Ajmal’s army touches our women, the only punishment for them will be a death sentence, nothing less. We are working with such a resolve.” The Minister added, “Love jihad has created a mountain-like problem for Assamese daughters. Many girls have faced talaq situations after getting duped by fake names of the boys. The BJP has resolved that whenever any culture-civilisation attacks Assamese girls, ruthless replies will be given,” he said.
Himanta Biswa Sarma also spoke on the related issue of the indigenous Assamese Hindus losing large swathes of their land, one constituency at a time. The BJP, he said, has lost power in five constituencies owing to the same devious plans of a few. “If people do not unite, then society will not be saved. That is why the 2021 Assembly election is for saving our culture-civilisation. If the 65 per cent people don’t fight together against Ajmal’s culture-civilisation, then our future Assam will not be saved. If we lose this fight of culture-civilisation, then we will not be able to live in this Assam after 15 years,” the NEDA convenor emphasized.
In a move which is aimed at bringing Muslim children into the fold of mainstream Indian education, the Assam government is also set to shut down government-funded Madrassas in the state next month onwards. With the government now shifting its focus to put an end to love jihad in the state, it becomes clear that the BJP is not looking at the upcoming polls as just that, but, as a civilizational battle to save Assam at a very crucial juncture, where the future of the state can be made or broken.