Assam launches portal for indigenous communities to apply for arms licences with proper scrutiny.

Assam plans to launch a portal for indigenous communities to apply for gun licenses in sensitive areas. The licenses will be granted after a multi-layered scrutiny process. Eligible applicants must reside in notified areas or be assessed as vulnerable by authorized security agencies. The process includes security assessment, verification, and compliance with existing laws. Opponents criticize the move, fearing it could lead to misuse and promote violence.

The Assam government is preparing to launch a portal that will allow indigenous people living in "sensitive areas" to apply for arms licenses. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced this initiative, aiming to protect communities facing threats. The portal will undergo scrutiny and a multi-layered process before licenses are granted.

Eligible applicants must be original inhabitants or indigenous Indian citizens of Assam who perceive a genuine threat to their lives and reside in vulnerable or remote areas, as notified by the District Administration or assessed as such by authorized security agencies [1].

The process of granting the license will include security assessment, verification, compliance with existing laws, non-transferability, periodic review, monitoring, and reporting. Sarma stated that the Assam Cabinet meeting on May 28, 2023, took this decision to protect the interests of the Jati, Mati, Bheti (community-land-base) [1].

The decision addresses long-standing security concerns, particularly in districts like Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon, and South Salmara-Mankachar, where indigenous people are a minority and face insecurity due to developments in neighboring Bangladesh [1].

Opponents criticize the move, fearing it could lead to misuse and promote violence. However, the government maintains that the initiative aims to provide confidence to indigenous people, preventing them from selling their land and moving to different places [1].

References:
[1] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/assam-govt-readies-portal-for-arms-licence-application-for-people-living-in-sensitive-areas/articleshow/123143813.cms