GUWAHATI: Population Explosion is the root cause of economic disparity and poverty among minority Muslims in Assam, said Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. Speaking at length on population explosion and its ill effects in Assam, the chief minister sought cooperation of both Congress and AIUDF to fight population explosion.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the lower growth of population among the Hindus in Assam has improved their lifestyle. He gave examples of Chenga, Baghbar and Jania areas where it was becoming impossible to hold more people. The people eventually start occupying empty lands and mostly government lands, the chief minister said.
“In rural areas, Muslim people out of compulsion have occupied empty lands. They are entering forest areas and it leads to a conflict with law that does not allow occupation of forest areas. There is a kind of social tension that Muslim people in Lower Assam and Central Assam are facing at the moment. The encroachments on government land will continue as people need space to live,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The chief minister requested the opposition members to not link his thoughts to politics. He urged the members to think about the near future when it would be impossible to provide basic health and education facilities to such a large population.
“Maximum expansion of education and health has to be done. This is not about politics. Please delink what I am trying to say about population control with politics. If we can reduce the population growth to another 5-6 percent everybody will have a decent life. We need a practical solution to this problem,” said the chief minister.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma proposed that MLAs from Upper and Lower Assam should visit areas of each other to understand how population explosion can make things worse.
“There are two Assam inside one if we compare the living style of Upper and Lower Assam. I would suggest that MLAs from Lower and Central Assam should visit Dibrugarh and other Upper Assam areas to learn how small families mean good standards of life. MLAs from Dibrugarh should visit places like Jania, Baghbar to understand the necessity of development of health and education. In context of Assam, this is not anti-Muslim, this is anti-poverty,” said Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.
