Guwahati, Feb 27 : Assam Cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday criticised the Congress party over the debate on repealing Muslim Marriage Act in the state on the floor of the Assembly.

According to Hazarika, "this was a black day for the Congress" as it opposed a government move to end child marriages in the state.

Taking to his X handle, the minister wrote: "Today is a black day for the Congress in the Assam Assembly, they opposed a bill that prevented Qazis from registering any marriage with underage girls.

"A party - that prided itself on being 'liberal' - has been reduced to backing child marriages for its survival!" he added.

Earlier on Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the menace of child marriage will be eradicated from the state in the next two years.

He said: "I will not let child marriage happen in the state. Till Himanta Biswa Sarma is alive here, child marriages can not happen in Assam."

The Chief Minister also said that the state government has prepared an action plan to eliminate child marriage by 2026.

He was speaking on the floor of the Assam Assembly on the issue of scrapping the much-old Assam Muslim Marriage Act.

During the discussion, Sarma launched a scathing attack on the opposition AIUDF legislators.

He warned: "I am challenging you (referring to AIUDF MLAs)... I will shut your shop. The Assam Muslim Marriage act had provisions of marriage of children of five-six years. That is why we scrapped the act. I will not let anybody run a business involving Muslim children."

Earlier on Friday, the long-standing Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act of 1935 was repealed by the state government.

The decision was taken during a state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

/IANS