Only 2-Child Policy Can Remove Poverty Among Assam Muslims: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma set to meet Muslim intellectuals for feedback on two-child policy.

A two-child policy is the only way to eradicate poverty and illiteracy among his state's Muslim minority, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today. Organisations operating in the community, he said, had welcomed his proposal of adopting good family planning norms, including such a policy. "There is no resistance from the Muslim people. The two factions of the All-Assam Minority Students Union met me twice in the past one month and openly welcomed (the 2-child proposal), saying Assam's Muslims need population-control measures," Mr Sarma told media persons in Guwahati today. "I'm meeting lot of Muslim intellectuals in July and I'm sure they'll support the state government's policies as this is the only way through which poverty and illiteracy can be eradicated from the Muslim minorities of Assam." He said he has invited 150 Muslim intellectuals to meet him on July 4. He also plans to have intensive discussions with various socio-political organisations representing the community.