GUWAHATI : Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday appealed to people in Assam to refrain from cow sacrifice during Bakrid, stating that no religious scripture mandates the practice and describing the move as a step towards strengthening communal harmony in the state.

Speaking on the third day of the Assam Assembly session, the chief minister said several Bengali Muslim organisations in Assam had already decided against sacrificing cows during Eid al-Adha out of respect for the sentiments of the Hindu community.

“This indicates a new era and presents a clear direction for the future before us,” Sarma said, while thanking sections of the Muslim community for what he termed a thoughtful initiative aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence.

He said the decision, if adopted more widely, would positively impact communal relations in the state. “We have always wanted people in Assam to live together peacefully, and this step will definitely strengthen that spirit,” he added.

The chief minister also appealed to others yet to decide on the matter to “draw inspiration” from those organisations that had opted for alternative forms of sacrifice this year.

During his address, Sarma further highlighted the state government’s proposed Uniform Civil Code Bill, claiming it would provide greater social security for men and women belonging to minority communities.

Touching on Assam’s economic performance, the chief minister said the state’s GDP had grown to Rs 8.71 lakh crore over the past five years. He expressed confidence that Assam’s poverty rate could decline to between 2 and 3 per cent over the next five years.

Sarma also said maternal mortality rates in the state had seen significant improvement over the last decade and announced that the government would continue its employment drive by providing government jobs to two lakh youths.

Emphasising entrepreneurship and self-employment, he said the government was working towards creating 10 lakh young entrepreneurs in Assam, each potentially generating jobs for at least 10 more people.

Criticising the previous Congress government, the chief minister alleged that Assam had faced severe financial distress during its tenure, claiming that salaries of government employees had remained unpaid for six months at one stage.

He asserted that the NDA government had received a mandate for development and security and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the interests of indigenous communities in Assam.

Sarma further stated that making Assam “foreigner-free” would remain one of the government’s primary priorities over the next five years. Reaffirming the government’s stand against illegal infiltration, he said strict measures would continue to identify and deport foreigners residing illegally in the state.