Himanta favours three children to every Hindu to counter Muslim growth in Assam

Barpeta (Assam), Dec 30 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday advised Hindus to give birth to three children, if possible, in order to arrest the falling population growth compared to the Muslims in the state.

He also claimed that if Hindus do not give birth to more children, there may not be people left to "look after the house".

His statement came ahead of the assembly election in the state, which is likely to be held in March-April next year.

"In minority areas, their birth rate is high. The birth rate is decreasing day by day among the Hindus. So, there lies the difference," Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an official function in Barpeta district.

He was responding to a query on reported rise in Muslim population in some constituencies in Assam.

"That is why we tell every Hindu person that you should not stop at one child and give birth to at least two children. If possible, give birth to three children," he added.

The CM said the Muslim people, on the other hand, are advised not to give birth to "7-8 children", and to have fewer offspring.

"We tell the Hindus to give birth to a little more number of children, otherwise there will be no one to look after the house," he claimed.

Sarma also clarified that, as the delimitation of the assembly constituencies has taken place, the exact nature of the population pattern is not immediately known to him.

On December 5, the Assam government diluted the two-child norm for ST, SC, tea garden, Moran and Matak communities, thereby vacating its own stand to gradually implement the family planning rule for the entire state.

In a notification, the Health and Family Welfare Department had said the principal policy, 'Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam, 2017', has been amended accordingly.

Sarma had earlier said the Assam government would implement the two-child norm for the people to avail benefits under specific state schemes.

At a press conference on November 9, the chief minister had claimed that the growth of the Hindu population was coming down, while that of Muslims was increasing.

According to the 2011 census, Assam had a total Muslim population of 1.07 crore, making up 34.22 per cent of the total 3.12 crore residents of the state. There were 1.92 crore Hindus in the state, around 61.47 per cent of the total population.

The BJP has been regularly highlighting the demographic change, stating that at least nine districts became Muslim majority as per the 2011 census from six in 2001, and the number, the party claims, has increased to at least 11 at present.

In 2001, when Assam had 23 districts, Muslims were in majority in six -- Dhubri (74.29), Goalpara (53.71), Barpeta (59.37), Nagaon (51), Karimganj (52.3) and Hailakandi (57.63).

The number of districts increased to 27 in 2011 and nine out of them had Muslim majority. These were Dhubri (79.67), Goalpara (57.52), Barpeta (70.74), Morigaon (52.56), Nagaon (55.36), Karimganj (56.36), Hailakandi (60.31), Bongaigaon (50.22) and Darrang (64.34). PTI TR NN