Published 17:59 IST, October 27th 2019
Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora criticises state's two-child policy
Rajya Sabha MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ripun Bora on Sunday said nobody can impose the two-child policy on anyone in a democratic country.
Rajya Sabha MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ripun Bora on Sunday said that nobody can impose the two-child policy on anyone in a democratic country. Bora denounced Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal's Cabinet decision to render people having more than two children as ineligible for government jobs from January 1, 2021.
"In a democratic country, nobody can impose a two-child policy on anyone. Let us expand education in a massive way and spread awareness so that everybody spontaneously accepts the two-child policy. Imposing it on people will not be fruitful," Bora was quoted as saying.
"Our's is a secular country and our Constitution believes in secularism, so we must respect the religious sentiments of all sections, religions and castes," Bora said speaking to a news agency. Last week, senior Congress leader Harish Rawat called the BJP-led Assam government's decision as 'ruthless' and 'unconstitutional'.
Two child policy for state jobs
The Assam Cabinet on October 21 decided that no government jobs will be given to people having more than two children after January 1, 2021. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held late on Monday evening that also adopted a New Land Policy, which will give three bighas of agricultural land to landless indigenous people and half-a-bigha for constructing a house. A communique from Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's public relations cell said that those having more than two children will not be considered for government jobs with effect from January 1, 2021, as per the small family norm.
In September 2017, the Assam Assembly had passed the 'Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam' that specified that job applicants with two children only would be eligible for government employment and the existing government staff were to strictly follow the two children family norm. "New Land Policy was adopted. Three bighas of land will be given to landless indigenous people. Landless people will be offered half a bigha to construct their houses. These cannot be sold for 15 years," the CMO statement said.
(With ANI and PTI )
Updated 19:00 IST, October 27th 2019