Guwahati: Doyen Culture and Literature Assam, Jyoti Prasad Agarda, coated the term “na asamiya” (neo-assamese) for a assimilated population with the Assam community greater than the colonial era.
In his famous poetry “Asomiya Dekar Uki”, it is a brave effort to provide a broader Definition of Assam’s identity to include “Mymensinghia” or Muslims who migrate from the Mymensingh District of East Bengal.
Some decades later when Minister of Himanta Minister Buswa Sarma had taken the initiative aimed at the overall population control and welfare of the minority community, it was “Bengal origin” which was again haunting Migrant Muslims mostly settled in the lower and western Assam.
Sarma, in his first round talk invited “custom Muslims”, but said talks would also be held with Muslim immigrant populations later.
However, it was decided at a Sunday meeting to form eight sub-groups to recommend the steps of welfare that would be taken by the state government for the next five years – from minority skills to improve their accessibility to their health and education.
However, population control will be the main agenda.
Although most of them welcome steps, many criticize the exception of Muslim migrants.
“Often Bengal Muslims are blamed for alleged abnormal population growth.
If the government wants to be sensitive to this part of Muslims, we should not be ruled out of the first meeting,” said Hafiz Ahmed, President Char-Chapori Sahitya Parishad (CCSP) – a leading organization that combats Migrant Muslim rights in char-chapori or state river areas.
‘Right-wing groups often accuse that large parts of the interior of these areas are inhabited by illegal Bangladesh migrants who claim to have entered Assam before 1971 – Cut-off years for illegal migrant detection and deportation in Assam.
The struggle for livelihoods and basic needs is the same for customary Muslims and those who have roots in Bengal, but, Ahmed said the further division between Muslims in names of native and bengal will not send unity messages.
“Muslims from Bengal who have migrated half a decade before independence is undoubtedly Muslim assamese,” Ahmed said confirmed.
Advocates of Senior Neknik era, who attended the weekend meeting, said custom Muslims would definitely benefit if the words were translated into action.
“We have suffered a lot for years because of the lower population ratios.
From the government scheme too, a large number of customary Muslims are always abandoned,” said the days.
He felt that because the population of their scattered groups, other factions were always in favorable position with the population concentrated in Assam below and West.
“We basically repent people.
Our ancestors came here centuries ago but we did not have ministers and MLA to raise our voices today.
So we have suffered,” added age.
The estimate of the indigenous Muslim population is 42 lakh in Assam, while those who have roots on Bengal are not divided now have around 70-80 lakh populations.
But young children from the minority community believe that all steps initiated by Sarma are welcome except for the division between Muslims.
“There is a tendency to alienate Muslims in the name of Bengal from origin,” said Aiudf Mla from Chenga in the lower Assam, Ashraful Hussain.
He said a large population of Bengal origin could be seized in a long round, if the government adopted a biased approach.
“For population control, we demand an increase in health and education infrastructure.
Strong steps to control the population will be problematic,” said the youngest legislator at Assam Assembly, said.