‘Population Army’ To Help Curb Birth Rate In Muslim-Majority Areas

Guwahati: The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma told the Assembly on Monday that youths will be sent to different parts state to created awareness about population control measures and to supply contraceptives.

He termed population explosion as the “root cause of economic disparities and poverty among minority Muslims in Assam”.

ALSO READ: Pegasus Row – Was Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Spied On? Sanjay Raut Says ‘Won’t Be Surprised’

The ‘population Army’ will consist of about 1,000 youths from the char chapori (riverine sand bars) and will be sent to areas in Lower Assam, he said. 

“Around 1,000 youths from the char chapori (riverine sand bars) will be engaged to create awareness about population control measures and to supply contraceptives. We are also planning to create a separate workforce of ASHA (accredited social health activists) workers who will be tasked with creating awareness about birth control and also supply contraceptives,” he said according to ANI.

“If population growth among Hindus in Assam was 10 per cent from 2001 to 2011, it was 29 per cent among Muslims,” the Chief Minister added.

Sarma also sought the cooperation of the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in fighting population explosion for the prosperity of all.

Sharing a video of his address on Facebook he captioned it as, “Population explosion is the root cause of economic disparities and poverty among minority Muslims in Assam. I spoke at length today in the Assembly and sought the cooperation of both the Indian National Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in our pledge to fight population explosion for the prosperity of all.”

The Chief Minister has been pushing hard for the promotion of measures to counter a population explosion that, according to him, has been driven by the state’s minority populations.