Mohsin Raza, the MoS for Minority Welfare Muslim Waqf and Hajj of the state in the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath has come out in support of the proposed draft of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021. The draft has been prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Law Commission, and it has sought public opinion on it. Batting in support of the Yogi Government’s proposed population control bill, Raza stated that the bill does not intend to target the Muslim community, as being peddled by many opposition leaders. Regardless of one’s religion or caste, the bill has been introduced with the aim to take the country forward.
“If we have two children it is easier for us to make them doctors or engineers”, MoS Mohsin Raza
Minister Mohsin Raza emphasised that it will be simpler for Muslims to provide a decent education and shape the future of two offsprings, as compared to many. “If we have two children it is easier for us to make them doctors or engineers, but if we have 8, then there are possibilities that they will grow up to only become labourers or make punctures at the cycle shops”, said the minister, explaining the benefits of the proposed bill.
“We aim to advance our people. We want to see them progress from topis to ties”, added Mohsin Raza, slamming Congress and the Samajwadi Party in the state for indulging in petty caste and religion-based politics. “Congress and the Samajwadi Party do not have the support of the masses so they want to divide the people on the basis of caste and religion”, said MoS Mohsin Raza. He said that the Yogi Adityanath government has sought the opinion of the public on the Population Bill draft and only after considering the public opinion, the commission will hand it (UP Population Bill) over to the State Government. The government might also withdraw it if the majority are not in favour of the bill, added Raza.
Yogi Govt’s population control bill draft
The proposed draft of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021 was presented to the public with requests for suggestions and recommendations from the public by the UP Law Commission. The proposed bill, if implemented into law, will provide benefits to those who have only up to two children.
According to reports, soon after the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in a presentation on a proposed population policy, people turned up in large numbers in front of the Ghaziabad Collector’s office, asking for the implementation of the bill and demanding provisions for strict actions against those, who have more than 2 children. As per reports, the crowd was led by the Jansankhya Samadhaan Foundation.
Opposition parties criticise Yogi Govt for the population bill, says wants to polarize society on the basis of religion
Meanwhile, the Congress party hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government for the proposed bill saying that the BJP government is indulging in communal politics before the upcoming Assembly elections. Congress leader PL Punia opined that the Yogi government should have discussed it with various public representatives and NGOs before proposing the bill. Poonia alleged that this draft has been proposed keeping in view the upcoming state Assembly elections slated to be held next year. Through this bill, BJP is trying to polarize society on the basis of religion, said the Congress leader.
Moreover, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Anurag Bhadoria hit out at the BJP-led UP state government and said that the Yogi Adityanath-led government did nothing in the last 4.5 years. Bhadoria said, “Now that the elections have come near, the UP state government has come up with fake promises.” They will not tell what they have done in the past 4.5 years, he added.
