Assam Chief Minister’s Bold Move Sparks Uproar in Assembly: Opposition Walks Out Over Repeal of Marriage Act

Chief Minister Vows: “No Child Marriage in Assam While I’m Alive

Desk Report, February 26, 2024: In a tumultuous session at the Assam Assembly, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s firm stance against child marriage led to an uproar as the Opposition Congress and AIUDF staged a walkout in protest. The trigger for the dissent was the State Cabinet’s decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected AIUDF’s adjournment motion to discuss the Cabinet decision, prompting heightened tensions in the assembly.

The Congress, expressing reservations, argued that adjustments could have been made to the original Bill instead of scrapping it entirely. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the Cabinet’s move, emphasizing that the repeal aims to combat the social evil of child marriage in the state. Addressing the criticism from the Opposition, CM Sarma asserted today that the decision was a crucial step toward eradicating the practice. He firmly declared, “Till I am alive, I won’t allow child marriage to happen in Assam.”

The Opposition’s response was palpable, with Congress members staging a ten-minute walkout in protest of the Cabinet’s decision. AIUDF MLAs initially raised slogans and occupied the House Well for over five minutes before eventually joining the Congress in a collective exit. Meanwhile, the opposition CPI(M) representative and the lone Independent MLA chose to remain in the House as the Speaker continued with the scheduled business.

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