Nagaon: The Nagaon Nagarik Sabha (NNS), a citizens’ forum based in Assam’s Nagaon district, has voiced strong opposition to the state government’s decision to issue arms licences to indigenous people living in vulnerable and remote areas.
Staging a protest in the town on Monday evening, the group demanded immediate withdrawal of the move, calling it unnecessary and politically motivated.
The decision, approved by the Assam Cabinet on May 28, aims to provide indigenous communities in select districts with licensed firearms to bolster their sense of security. However, the NNS contends that the state’s priorities are misplaced.
“We don’t need a communal pistol. We need irrigation to save our parched fields, jobs for our youth, and land rights—things the government is generously giving to corporate houses,” said NNS Secretary Birinchi Bora.
He accused the government of using the arms licence initiative as a diversion from its administrative failures.
Bora also questioned the implications of such a policy, asking, “If Assam faces a crisis like Manipur, will the ministers and MLAs sitting safely in their bulletproof cars take responsibility for the lives of ordinary people and children?”
The forum further alleged that the move is part of a “communal agenda” by the ruling BJP to deflect attention from corruption allegations and other governance issues.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier defended the Cabinet’s decision, stating that indigenous communities in districts like Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar have long demanded arms licences for self-protection—demands dating back to the Assam Agitation of 1979–1985.
He also cited localities such as Rupahi, Dhing, and Jania—largely minority-dominated areas—where the licences would be prioritised.
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On July 23, Sarma announced that a dedicated portal would be launched in August to facilitate arms licence applications, and that the licensing process was being streamlined specifically for indigenous residents in these vulnerable regions.
A day later, he reiterated that providing firearms was essential to ensure the survival of these communities.
Despite the government’s justification, opposition from civil society groups like the NNS signals growing unease about the policy’s potential social and communal implications.
