india

Updated: Oct 28, 2019 20:03 IST

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition Congress in Assam have criticized Lok Sabha MP and chief of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Badruddin Ajmal for his comment that Muslims would continue to have more children notwithstanding any law.

The perfume baron who heads the minority-based political party made the statement following a cabinet decision taken by the BJP-led government in Assam last week which would make those having more than two children ineligible for government jobs from January 1, 2021.

Ajmal had said that Muslims will not be bound by any statute on the number of children as they do not get enough government jobs anyway.

“RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urges (Hindus) publicly to have 8-10 kids while their (BJP) government says don’t have more than two children. You decide first among yourselves how many children one should have,” Ajmal said last week.

“There is no such limitation among us (Muslims). In any case, the government is not going to give us jobs. That’s why I would tell our people to produce as many children as possible and give them, including girls, a good education so that they get good jobs, start businesses and create job opportunities for Hindu brothers so that both can be happy,” he added.

The Congress condemned Ajmal’s statement saying that a large population was a burdern.

“A large population is not an asset but a burden. We condemn Ajmal’s statement. We need to have a progressive and rational view on this and parents should have fewer children so that they are able to raise them in the best possible manner,” said Congress legislature party leader in Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia.

“I would like to point that even BJP leaders like Yogi Adityanand and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat have also said that Hindus should have lots of children to counter Muslim population. We condemn that view as well,” he added.

Ajmal also came under fire from the ruling BJP which termed it as communal and vote bank politics.

“Population is a worldwide problem and has nothing to do with Muslims or Hindus. People like Ajmal, who are very rich, won’t be affected by the policy even if he has 10 kids. But it will definitely affect the poor,” said state BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami.

“His statement saying Muslims don’t get government jobs is a political remark aimed at his vote bank. He is trying to communalise the government decision. Government jobs are based on merit, not on religion,” he added.