Ranchi, Nov 4 — BJP leaders on Wednesday welcomed the Assam Cabinet's decision to make polygamy and unauthorised second marriages grounds for dismissal from government service, with several leaders calling for the policy to be implemented across all states.
Speaking to IANS, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo described polygamy as a social evil and said women suffer greatly because of the practice.
"Polygamy is a social evil that women have to suffer greatly from. Tell me, would any father want his daughter to become someone's second or fourth wife? Earlier, Muslim men were allowed to marry up to four times. However, this practice is now being addressed through the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). There may also be people from other communities who have multiple marriages. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a positive initiative in this regard. Those who practice polygamy should not only be disqualified from government jobs but should also face legal action and imprisonment," he said.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh also welcomed the decision and said, "I think every state should implement this now."
BJP Bihar President, Sanjay Saraogi, claimed the decision was a historic step towards women's empowerment and social justice.
"The decision by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to directly dismiss government employees who engage in polygamy and disqualify them from future government jobs is a historic step towards women's empowerment and social justice," he said.
Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav also supported the move, saying the Assam Chief Minister was right in taking such a decision.
"Assam Chief Minister was right in saying this. Generally, there are many people who get married twice or even three times. This makes women's lives miserable, both in their family life and on a personal level," he said.
The Assam government has announced stringent action against government employees found practicing polygamy, including dismissal from service and a ban on future government employment.
Chief Minister Sarma announced the Assam Cabinet's decision on November 3, stating that the proposed provision would apply to government employees across religious communities.
The Cabinet has approved amendments to the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, to make polygamy a ground for dismissal from government service.
Under the amended rules, employees found practicing polygamy will not only lose their existing jobs but will also be disqualified from securing government employment in the future.
Announcing the decision, Sarma said, "The Assam Cabinet has decided that if any Assam government employee is found to be polygamous, he or she will be dismissed from service."
The Chief Minister described the move as a significant change in the state's service rules and said strict disciplinary action would be taken against employees found violating the provision.