Badruddin Ajmal is the Member of Parliament from Dhubri.
Weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has hit out at AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, saying that if the Dhubri MP wants to get married again, he should do so before the elections or face arrest. Mr. Sarma has said that the Uniform Civil Code would be implemented in the state after the Lok Sabha polls take place and polygamy would become illegal.
Mr. Ajmal, who is contesting again from Dhubri constituency, recently said, “People in Congress and Rakibul Hussain (his opponent in Congress seat) said that I have grown old. But I still have so much strength that I can get married. I can do that even if the Prime Minister doesn’t want me to, I have that much power.’
Speaking on the sidelines of a rally on Saturday, Assam’s chief minister said: “He (Badruddin Ajmal) should get married now. After the elections, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented in Assam. If he marries after that, he will be arrested.”
“If he (Mr Ajmal) invites us now, we will also go because it is not illegal so far. As far as I know he has one wife. He can marry two or three more, but we will stop polygamy right after the elections. The entire design is ready,” he added.
A Uniform Civil Code refers to a common set of laws that apply to all Indian citizens and are not based on religion when dealing with marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, among other personal matters.
Mr Sarma has repeatedly said his government will introduce legislation on a uniform civil code. His comments became more common after the Uttarakhand Assembly passed a UCC bill last month.
Assam will vote in the Lok Sabha elections in three phases: on April 19, April 26 and May 7. The results will be announced on June 4.