Assam: Gun licences for 'vulnerable' indigenous locals; Himanta sets Feb target

NEW DELHI: Assam main ministerHimanta Biswa Sarma connected Sunday announced that the authorities authorities volition contented the archetypal batch of firearm licences to indigenous radical surviving successful "vulnerable and remote" areas by February 2026.The announcement holds governmental value arsenic it comes conscionable up of the authorities assembly elections, scheduled to beryllium held successful March–April adjacent year.Addressing a property league aft a furniture meeting, Sarma said "the archetypal batch of licences nether this strategy volition beryllium fixed successful February. We person received a batch of applications for firearm licences. We are scrutinising the applications currently."He further stated that the authorities volition contented licences "very selectively," clarifying that not everyone seeking 1 volition beryllium granted permission."The authorities volition springiness the licences precise selectively, and not each the radical wanting to person a firearm volition beryllium permitted," the main curate added.The inaugural follows the Assam Cabinet’s determination successful May to present a peculiar strategy allowing archetypal inhabitants and indigenous citizens of India surviving successful "vulnerable and remote" areas, peculiarly adjacent the Bangladesh border."This is an important and delicate decision. In districts similar Dhubri, Nagaon, Morigaon, Barpeta, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara, wherever Bangladesh-origin Muslims are successful a majority, indigenous radical are successful a number and perpetually look insecurity, particularly successful the aftermath of caller developments successful Bangladesh.

These indigenous populations tin go victims of attacks from Bangladesh oregon from wrong their ain villages," Sarma had earlier said explaining the rationale down the move.He added that the determination aligns with the BJP’s long-standing committedness to support the ‘jati, mati aru bheti’ — identity, land, and homeland of Assam’s indigenous people.He besides noted that this request has existed since 1985 but had ne'er been addressed by erstwhile governments."The authorities volition beryllium lenient successful giving licences to eligible people, who person to beryllium archetypal inhabitants and indispensable beryllium to the indigenous assemblage surviving successful susceptible and distant areas of the state," Sarma added.