Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday that the portal is almost ready. A dedicated portal is coming up where indigenous people, who perceive a threat to their lives and reside in sensitive areas, can apply for Arms License. Upon proper scrutiny and after a multi-layered process, Arms License will be granted to individuals.
He detailed about the eligibility of obtaining the arm license which include original inhabitant or indigenous Indian citizen of Assam, perceive a genuine threat to life and safety due to the vulnerability of the area of residence besides residing in a vulnerable or remote area, as notified by the District Administration, or assessed as such by authorized security agencies.”
The process of granting the license will include security assessment, verification and vetting, compliance with existing laws, non-transferability and periodic review along with monitoring and reporting, according to the post.
Sarma had said that the Assam Cabinet meeting on May 28 this year has taken a very important decision to protect the interests of our Jati, Mati, Bheti ((community- land- base). Arms Licenses will be granted to Original Inhabitants and indigenous Indian people living in vulnerable areas to tackle unlawful threats from hostile quarters.
He had said that this decision was taken after reviewing the “demand” of the people living in these areas. “Assam is a very different and sensitive state. Assamese people living in some areas have been feeling insecure and they have been demanding arms licences for a long time. The government will be lenient in giving licences to eligible people, who must be original inhabitants and must belong to the indigenous community living in vulnerable and remote areas of the state.The chief minister had said that in Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon and South Salmara-Mankachar, Goalpara districts indigenous people are minority and they suffer from insecurity especially after the developments in neighbouring Bangladesh these people may be targeted from other side of border and even in their village they may be targeted.He had added, “Indigenous people are a small number in these areas. So people from these areas if they seek a license, the government will liberally provide them. This will ensure protection for our people in Dhing, Rupohi and Lahorighat. And Indigenous people from these places will not have to sell their land to move to different places. This move will provide confidence to them.”
He added, “This demand has been there since Assam Agitation (1979-1985) however no government has courage to do this. Had we been given an arm license then several people would not have had to sell their land and move to different places. Lot of people in Darrang and Nagaon during my visit to these places during the campaign of Panchayat polls requested me to provide arms licence or they said they will have to move out of the area.”
