The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam has decided to issue arms licenses to “original inhabitants and indigenous Indian people” living in “vulnerable remote areas”, announced Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday.

“This scheme will act as a deterrent to unlawful threats and enhance the personal security and confidence of such individuals and communities,” the chief minister claimed while listing the decisions taken by the state Cabinet.

According to the chief minister, the Cabinet had decided the state should issue arms licenses after reviewing the demands of residents who were “feeling insecure”, reported PTI. Dhubri, Morigaon, Barpeta, Nagaon and South Salmara-Mankachar are among the districts where the government “will be lenient in giving licences to eligible people”, he said.

Bengali-speaking Muslims form the majority population in these districts and two of them – Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankacha – border Bangladesh, The Hindu reported.

Sarma was quoted as saying by the Assam Tribune that Cabinet’s decision will help residents of the districts protect themselves in the wake of growing concerns about cross-border infiltration and security threats.

“The indigenous people residing near the Bangladesh border live in fear of atrocities and infiltration,” he reportedly said.

Sarma said the demand for residents to get arms licenses has existed since the Assam Movement, which was launched in 1979 to identify and deport undocumented immigrants.

However, the previous government had failed to address it, he said, according to Assam Tribune.

“Had we taken this step during the Assam agitation, perhaps many people would not have sold their land and left their homes,” said the chief minister.

Sarma said that to get an arms license, the residents should not have a criminal record and pass a thorough police verification. “The final approval will be given by the deputy commissioner as per the Indian Arms Act,” he added.

Harekrishna Deka, former director general of police of Assam, criticised the government’s decision and said that the authorities should maintain security if there are security concerns.

“I do not understand the logic,” Deka told Scroll. “Vulnerable from what? Were they not vulnerable earlier?”

He added that “the government is duty-bound to maintain security” and giving arms licenses to vulnerable residents was not a solution to security threats.

“Socially, mutual trust and harmony need to be encouraged and promoted amongst various communities living side by side,” said Deka.

‘Policy not for inter-state borders’

On Thursday, Sarma clarified that the policy will not apply to areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

These four northeastern states have had long-standing border disputes with Assam, resulting in over 200 deaths in more than five decades, The Hindu reported. Partial resolutions have been reached in the disputes with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

“Assam has always maintained that inter-state border issues are matters that can and should be resolved through mutual understanding and trust,” Sarma said. “We do not view these regions as vulnerable in the context of national security threats.”