Islamic Organizations in Assam Demand Land Rights for Muslims
Call for Inclusion in Mission Basundhara
United front of eight Islamic organisations seeking development in Muslim majority areas in Assam (Photo: AT)
Guwahati, July 18: A coalition of eight Islamic organizations in Assam has called on the state government to include eligible Muslims in the Mission Basundhara initiative, which aims to provide land rights to impoverished and landless families.
During a joint press conference at the Guwahati Press Club, Mufti Makibur Rahman Azhari, who leads the All Assam Ahle Sunnat Madrassa Education Board, stated that the groups have united to express their position on various pressing political and social matters.
This appeal follows remarks made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the Assam Legislative Assembly, where he indicated a willingness to consider the registration of eligible Indian Muslims under the Mission Basundhara land settlement program.
"Recently, the Chief Minister mentioned in the Assembly that he would be open to including Indian Muslims in the Basundhara scheme," Azhari noted.
The organizations are urging the government to issue land pattas to impoverished and landless Muslims and are advocating for a thorough survey in Assam's char and chapori regions.
"We request the Assam government and the Chief Minister to assist poor and landless Muslims in obtaining land pattas. A survey should be conducted in char-chapori areas to identify genuine beneficiaries," Azhari emphasized.
He criticized the Congress party, stating that aside from Dalgaon MLA Majibur Rahman, no other Congress member has actively pursued this issue.
"We have not seen Congress MLAs raise the matter of registering poor Muslims under Basundhara. The Chief Minister himself mentioned in the Assembly that only Majibur Rahman had discussed this with him," he added.
The coalition comprises the All Ahle Sunnat Madrassa Education Board, Ulama Council (BTC), As-Sunnah Trust, Rashtriya Ulama Council, Assam Islamic Research Center, Jamat Ulama Sunni Assam, Anjomane Tanzime Millat, Assam, and Hedayat Islam, Assam.
The press conference took a political turn as the organizations criticized Congress MP Rakibul Hussain and the party's leadership for allegedly neglecting the concerns of Assamese Muslims.
"In the last Lok Sabha election, Muslims largely supported Rakibul Hussain. However, after his election, we did not see him effectively advocate for our issues in Parliament," Azhari claimed.
He announced a break from the Congress party, stating that the organizations would not support Hussain in future elections.
Azhari also asserted that the coalition could mobilize substantial support for the BJP in the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.
"We are publicly informing the Chief Minister that we will work to ensure the BJP secures the Nagaon seat with approximately 200,000 votes, as the people are seeking development," he stated.
He commended the developmental efforts of BJP leaders Diplu Ranjan Saikia, Jitu Goswami, and Arup Kumar Dey, while criticizing Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and leader Nurul Huda.
The organizations declared their intention to sever political ties with the Congress, including leaders Rakibul Hussain and Wajed Ali Choudhury, characterizing this decision as a symbolic "three talaq."
They reiterated their demands for land rights, development, and increased attention to the issues faced by Muslims in the state.