Assam CM interacts with 150 Muslim intellectuals over population issue

Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 4 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday participated in an interactive session with 150 intellectuals from the Muslim community in Guwahati to discuss the population issue in the state.
The program, titled 'ALAAP- ALOCHANA: Empowering The Religious Minorities', took place at the Assam Administrative Staff College.
On Saturday, Biswa had said that he would meet with intellectuals in view of the state's 'Two-child Policy'.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to meet 150 Muslim intellectuals. During the last 1 month, I met both fractions of the All Assam Minority Students' Union and everybody had said that population is a pressing problem that needs to be resolved," Sarma said.
He further assured, "In Assam, there is no controversy."
Earlier last week, Sarma had said that a 'Two-child Policy' is the only way to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in the Muslim community in the state and there is no resistance from the minority community regarding the same.
"It's for the welfare of the minority community and I don't think there is any resistance from them. All Assam Minority Students' Union met me last month and admitted that Muslims in Assam need population control measures. I am meeting Muslim intellectuals in July, and I am sure they will support state government's policy," he had said.
The Chief Minister had on June 18 announced the gradual implementation of the two-child policy for availing government benefits in Assam. Tea garden workers and members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities have been exempted from its purview.
These benefits will include loan waivers and other government schemes.