A minister in Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government has courted controversy after offering “population boom” as a solution to the threat from China. Siddiqullah Chowdhury, Minister in Charge of the Department of Mass Education Extension and Library Services, has said that he is opposed to the two-child policy as adopted at certain administrative levels in some states and advocated a “hum do, humare chaar (four children per couple)” strategy to counter China’s growing clout.
In a clipped video shared by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Chowdhury can be heard saying: “Population increase is a matter between a couple. This is my rationale behind the ‘hum do humare chaar‘ policy…” He said it was not a matter of Hindus or Muslims. “In rural areas, mostly middle-class or poor people want more children. They are proud of it. If we want to fight with China, we need a population like that of China. This is why we need ‘hum do humare chaar‘. We cannot fight with them with a ‘hum do humare do‘ policy,” Chowdhury said.
Meet Janab Siddiqullah Choudhury; Minister in Charge of Department of Mass Education Extension and Library Services.
The Mamata Ji Govt’s Minister who recently said that he will “not allow” the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, is now propogating the idea of “Hum Do… pic.twitter.com/yTCbAf3Z7o
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) November 30, 2024
‘Camouflaged Hint To A Community For Demographic Overhaul’
Referring to the comments as “alarming”, Suvendu Adhikari called on the Centre to get the Population Control Bill passed in Parliament. “A senior Minister of Mamata Banerjee government is asking people to have more kids. That, too, within the Vidhan Sabha. This is alarming for West Bengal, the most densely populated State of India, where lakhs of Rohingyas have already settled down and the population of the minorities has exceeded 35%,” Adhikari said.
“Is this a camouflaged hint to a specific Community? Is this a veiled appeal for a demographic overhaul? It’s my humble plea to the Central Government, that it’s high time to get the Population Control Bill passed as the enactment is necessary to halt the rising population growth and put brakes on the demographic changes, which are posing challenges to the goal of Vikshit Bharat. Otherwise, such people will keep on trying their level best to encourage a section of the society to have more children, as it suits their politics,” Adhikari said.
