Guwahati: The district administration of Assam’s Goalpara on Tuesday sealed a ‘Miya museum’ for alleged violation of land and property laws.

The museum in question only has traditional items which reflect the culture of Assamese society as a whole

According to the authorities, the ‘museum’ was built inside a house that was constructed using Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) funds.

Speaking about the ‘museum’, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I don’t understand what kind of museum is this. The plough which they have placed in the museum is used by Assamese people, even the items used for catching fish are also from the Assamese community. What’s new about it? Everything kept there belong to Assamese people except for ‘lungi’. They must prove that the nangol (plough) is used only by Miya people and not others. Otherwise, a case will be registered.”

“The museum in question only has traditional items which reflect the culture of Assamese society as a whole and not that of Miya community”, Sarma said.

Miya, or No-Asamiya (neo-Assamese), is a term often used to denote migrant Muslims from Bangladesh. Their forefathers migrated from areas like Mymensingh, Rangpur and Rajshahi Divisions in present-day Bangladesh during British rule and settled in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam.

Goalpara circle officer R Gogoi said that as per Goalpara Deputy Commissioner’s direction, the police has sealed the house built under PMAY-G, inside which Miya Museum was opened.