Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma on 14 August announced the launch of an online portal for "indigenous" people to acquire firearms licence if they live in an area where Bengali-origin Muslims are the majority.
The move was made with the view that possessions of firearms would enable "indigenous citizens" to protect themselves from "demographic and security challenges", according to Indian media.
The scheme was launched at a function held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.
In May, the Assam cabinet approved the "Special Scheme for Grant of Arms Licenses to Original Inhabitants and Indigenous Indian Citizens in Vulnerable and Remote Areas of Assam".
Sarma took the initiative to ease the access to arms in certain parts of the state so that the "indigenous citizens" can act as the "first responders" when the law-and-order situation deteriorates in "vulnerable and remote areas".
"If I live near the India-Bangladesh border or an inter-state boundary area, or I live in a vulnerable area where my community's population is very small… X community is 90-95% of the population and Y is 5%, and culturally, economically, historically, the communities have had tensions, then a small incident can also trigger a situation where the 95% can attack the 5% and burn their houses. Various incidents can happen," Sarma said at the function, according to The Indian Express.
The Assam government's special scheme is governed by the Arms Rules 2016 under the Arms Act 1959 in India.
According to the Assam government's licence requirements, an individual has to attest that they have no criminal background or pending case against them, and that they have a safe space to store a firearm.
Furthermore, they have to specify their identity, providing the broad headings of Scheduled Tribe (Plain), Scheduled Tribe (Hill), Scheduled Caste, Hill Tribes in Plains, Plain Tribe in Hills, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or Others, and lists the different communities under each heading.
The documents applicants will need to provide proof of their date of birth, identity, residence and caste certificates, firearms training certificate, an undertaking on safe use and storage of arms, medical certificates regarding mental and physical health, and Aadhaar card, the citizenship card of India.
Among other things, they also need to justify their "need for a licence."
A list of people capable of providing arms training to the applicants will be made in various districts to support the newly launched scheme, according to the Assam CM.
An arms licence issued through the newly introduced scheme will be valid for a period of five years.
On August 10, Sarma had stressed that the government would not distribute arms indiscriminately. "We will not just give arms. After much evaluation and introspection, we will issue them. We need land, rights, and guns as well, but all within the purview of law and legalities," he stated.
On May 28, the state government announced an unprecedented decision to grant arms licences to indigenous citizens in vulnerable and remote areas under a special scheme.
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