Assam Chief Minister Sarma to meet minority heads on family planning today

Taking the 'decent family planning' talks forward, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will on Sunday discuss the need for two-child norm with Muslim intellectuals .

In an official release, the state government stated, "An interactive session, 'Alaap Aru Alochana' (talks and discussion) by the CM with intellectuals and leading persons of minority community will be held on (Sunday) at Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara."

Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister of Welfare of Minorities and Development Department, will also be present in the interactive session.


Chairman of Assam State Minority Welfare Board, Syed Mominul Awal told ET, "Around 120 people from indigenous Muslim community are expected to attend the meet." Muslims comprise 34% of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4% are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining are mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims. The BJP led government in Assam had earlier proposed the creation of a development board for indegenious Muslims communities Goria, Moria, Deshi and Jolah.

Recently, Sarma said that Muslim organisations have welcomed his proposal of adopting decent family planning norms.

He said he is meeting 150 muslim intellectuals to discuss this issue threadbare.