Various Muslim and women's rights organisations and the Catholic Church have already warned the Kerala Government of intense agitations if it tries to implement the recommendations of the 12-member panel, headed by Justice (retired) VR Krishna Iyer. Sensing the seriousness of the issue, the Government has agreed to discuss the report in detail with all concerned sections.
In the 94-page report submitted to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy the other day, the panel has suggested adoption of family planning and birth control as parts of a secular policy of population regulation. "Each unit of husband and wife shall limit its children to two for entitlement to the advantages the State grants… and for avoidance of the legal disqualifications," it says.
The Commission says that any act or omission, movement, campaign or project, which induces or tends to induce the violation of the family norm of two children as prescribed under the chapter Kerala Women's Code Bill 2011, or in any other manner abets the violation of the provisions, shall be regarded as a 'legally disqualified person.'
It also says that that nothing lesser than a fine of Rs 10,000 or three months' simple imprisonment deserves to be slapped on the expectant father of a third child. This recommendation is part of the measures the Commission wants to encourage for population regulation for women's well-being and children's development.
The draft maintains that violation of family norms will be deemed a legal disqualification and parents will not be eligible to receive any benefits from the Government. It insists that religious and political outfits should not be allowed to discourage population planning and any such effort on their part should be censured by the Governor.
The report states, "No person or institution shall use religion, region, sect, caste, cult or other ulterior inducements for the bearing of more children." It has also proposed the constitution of a ten-member
Commission with social activists, public personalities and heads of institutions as its members to monitor the implementation of the population regulation policy.
It also suggests to provide an incentive of Rs 5,000 to women who marry after the age of 19 and have first child after 20. This benefit could be made available for the first two children. Couples below poverty line, who marry after the age of 20 and have their first child after the mother attains the age of 21, could be given Rs 5,000.
The Syro-Malabar Church warned the Government of dire consequences if it tried to implement the recommendations of the Commission, saying they were against the values of life. Various Muslim outfits protested against the recommendations saying they were against the spirit of Indian democracy and Constitution and the tenets of the Islamic Shariah.
Major Archbishop George Alanchery of the Church's Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese said that they would not wait for the Government to transform the recommendations into legislation to launch agitations in this regard. He said that begetting children was the mission of parents and that the Government should not be given the right to determine the number of children.
The recommendations are sure to hit the Catholic Church badly especially as it has launched a programme to encourage — even by giving cash incentives — believer couples to beget as many children as possible in the context of the plummeting rate of growth of population of Christians in comparison with that of Muslims in the State.
Office-bearers of Muslim scholars' outfit South Kerala Jam'iyyat'ul Ulema said that the Government would face stiff protests if it tried to implement the Commission's recommendations. Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty of the Muslim League assured that wide-ranging discussions would be held on the matter.
"The Government is studying the recommendations and it needs more time for that," said Chief Minister Chandy in Kochi on Sunday. "Our wish is to implement the recommendations but only after detailed discussions with the various concerned sections," he said.
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