Assam Govt To Issue Arms Licences To Indigenous People In Vulnerable Areas ‘To Tackle Threats’

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state government will begin issuing arms licences to indigenous people living in minority-dominated and vulnerable areas for their security.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day, where the proposal received formal approval.

Speaking at a press briefing, Sarma said the decision after reviewing the “demand” of the people living in these areas. “Today, the state cabinet has decided to give arms licence to original inhabitants and indigenous Indian citizens in vulnerable areas of the state. The state cabinet has approved a new scheme.”

“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,” he said.

He added that the government would take a lenient approach when granting licences to eligible applicants—those who are original inhabitants and belong to the indigenous communities living in vulnerable and remote regions of the state.

Sarma named Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar as some of the districts where the new policy would apply. “Our people are in the minority in these places,” he noted.

The Chief Minister also shared the development on social media platform X, stating that the move was aimed at protecting the interests of Assam’s “Jati, Mati, Bheti (community, land, and roots)”.

In his post, he wrote: “The #AssamCabinet has today taken a very important decision to protect the interests of our Jati, Mati, Bheti. Arms Licenses will be granted to Original Inhabitants and indigenous Indian people living in vulnerable areas to tackle unlawful threats from hostile quarters.”

According to the scheme, arms licences will be issued only to applicants who meet certain eligibility criteria, including having no criminal background. The initiative targets individuals in remote and sensitive regions of Assam who are reportedly facing ongoing security threats.