Guwahati, March 16: Taking part in the budget session of Assam Legislative Assembly, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government had tried to ensure that the controversial crack down against child marriage in Assam last month was not communal rather it had almost equal proportion of Muslims and Hindus arrested in child marriage cases.

He also said every six months such crack down would take place, as the state government is aiming to eradite child marriage by 2026.

“The NFHS 5 [National Family Health Survey] data shows that the problem is highest in Dhubri and South Salmara [Muslim-majority districts], not Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. But because you communalise every single thing, I told the Dibrugarh SP to pick up a few from there as well. NFHS 4 data collected during Congress times also shows that the highest number of underage marriages and childbirths is done in Lower Assam districts [where there is a greater Muslim population],” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

“We are crying for criminals but not crying for 11 year old girls who get impregnated. It is not 50:50 on field, since you guys communalise I have told SP to pick up from other regions. If you see NHM data, more cases are from South Salmara and Dhubri, but then I told Dibrugarh SP also to pick up 2 and 3 from there” Himanta added.