Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has advised the minority community to adopt decent population control measures to reduce poverty and land pressure.
Reacting to criticism of his government’s desire to free state-owned land from encroachment, the chief minister said that the illegal occupation of temple-owned land,
satras (monasteries) and forests cannot be allowed. Most of those expelled were Bengali-speaking Muslims.
“Community members assured us that they don’t want to encroach on these lands,” Dr Sarma told reporters Thursday on the first month of the BJP-led government.
“Nobody is our enemy and we want the poor in every community to progress, but we need the support of the community. Instead of criticizing the government, organizations like AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) and AAMSU (All Assam Minority Students’ Union) should motivate people to have smaller families,” he said.
The Chief Minister said population control could go a long way in easing pressure on the land. He cited the examples of Bodo and Mishing communities who have not occupied forest land for decades because of family planning.
He, however, justified giving land settlement certificates to indigenous forest dwellers “because they have protected our forest resources”.
Dr. Sarma urged all stakeholders in the minority community to come forward and support the government in its contribution to reducing poverty and improving education. He said the state government will endeavor to educate women in the community to effectively tackle the issue of family planning.
COVID-19 control
The chief minister hinted at a gradual easing of the lockdown while saying the ‘Assam model’ of handling COVID-19 has succeeded in controlling the spread of the virus without affecting livelihoods.
“We will make decisions, including the conduct of school board reviews if the positivity rate falls below 2% by July 1. Our advance planning has helped us become an oxygen surplus and help our sister states in the northeast with oxygen supply and cylinders,” Dr Sarma said.
The Assam model, he said, involved focusing on isolation, treatment and vaccination in six districts from where most COVID-19 positive cases were recorded.
He also praised the state police for the war on drugs which produced narcotics worth ₹24 crore and put 500 people behind bars for drug related offences.