Opportunistic Ajmal: AIUDF chief trashes Assam’s two-child norm

He kicked up a controversy with his statement saying Muslims would continue producing children despite the rule

‘Perfume King’ BadruddinAjmal has jumped back into the limelight after making a controversial statement slamming the Assam government’s new criteria for providing employment to people only with two children. The law comes into effect from January 1, 2021.

Ajmal said that “Muslims will not listen to anyone”, adding that they will keep producing kids despite the law. “Whatever laws you make, they will have no impact on the Muslims,” he said in a message to the BJP government led by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

He added, “Islam doesn’t believe in the concept of having only two children. No one can stop people who are bound to come into this world. The government is not giving us (Muslims) jobs anyway. We even don’t expect jobs anymore.”

“I would say my people should bear as many children as they want and educate them so they can open businesses, companies and shops to create job opportunities and also provide jobs to their Hindus brothers and sisters so they can also be happy,” Ajmal said.

Hitting out at the RSS, he said that the Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwatfavours 10 kids. “First, they should decide what they want. They don’t follow what RSS said.”

Why his statements hold no weight
Though Ajmal’s backlash at the Assam government’s decision may seem like it is in support of the minorities, it actually isn’t. His regressive statements actually negate all positive progress been made to foster the Muslim community.

First, the population facts. The population growth rate of Muslims has been declining since 1971 – from 30.9% during 1961-71 to 24.6% during 2001-11. In 2015-16, the number of unplanned children per Muslim woman came down to 0.6, a 50 per cent reduction in 10 years.

Ajmalis a member of the Indian Parliament from DhubriLokSabha constituency. He established then the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), now All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and consolidated its position in Indian politics especially in Assam. He is also the president of the Assam State JamiatUlema-e-Hind. At a recent meeting to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of MarkazulMaarif Education and Research Centre (MMERC) he said, “The distinctive feature of MMERC is signified in its inalienable association with the Islamic seminaries envisioned to create balanced, honest, dedicated and intelligent individuals capable of transparent representation of Islam in order to introduce the true characteristics of the faith to unaware non-Muslims simultaneously address the misconceptions and misinterpretations.”

So much about propagating education, but undoing every effort made towards educating people.

In 2018, during the grueling exercise of the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) that threatened the lives and livelihoods of minorities in India, Ajmal again sensed some opportunity for political gains. A group of leaders associated with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by LokSabha MP BadruddinAjmal, had launched a legal battle in 2011, portraying themselves as the sole saviours of ‘Doubtful Voters’ or ‘D-voters’ in Assam. In spite of a positive response from the court, he withdrew the case, betraying Bangla-speaking Muslims and Hindus through false promises.
The AIUDF, one of the major political parties in Assam, claims to be a champion of the “cause of Muslims” in the state.

The same Ajmalappealed to intellectuals to come forward and ensure that the final NRC is accepted as a document to resolve the foreigners’ issue in Assam.

Another proof of why Ajmal speaks only for political gains when he does is this. While on the one hand he says that he opposes PM Modi and his policies and that he would send the PM out of the country, members of his JamiatUlema-e-Hind met Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence to discuss “very important issues concerning the country and community”.

In conversation with The Sentinel, many literate Muslims slammed Ajmal’s remarks saying they did more harm by spreading a wrong notion of the community.

Renowned surgeon DrIllias Ali, said Ajmal’s statement is very unfortunate and irresponsible. Dr Ali stated giving birth to many children has proved to be a bane for Muslim families and there has been a growing awareness about the concept of small family among the community.

Tasneem Ahmed, a college teacher, termed Ajmal’s statement as revelation of his poor knowledge and medieval mindset. “There are different reasons for Muslims not getting enough government jobs. Giving birth to more children has no co-relation with government jobs,” Ahmed said.

Assam minister Pijush Hazarika termed Ajmal’s remarks “provocative and insensitive”.

Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai tweeted:

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy lashed out at Ajmal too saying, “When he says “we have the right”, is he tracing it to the Constitution?” he asked.

Union minister for stateGiriraj Singh lashed out at the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and asked “whether Islam is the factory to produce children in India in BadruddinAjmal’s view?”

State BJP leader Syed MominulAwal said, “Ajmal has been using the Muslims originated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as vote banks for his politics. He is now trying to enhance the vote bank by asking the Muslims to produce more children.”

He added, “Ajmal is engaged in politics of polarization by invoking religion on the two-child norm. Now that his party is losing ground Ajmal is resorting to expanding his political business through religious polarization. Government decided on two child norm to counter negative impact population explosion. But Ajmal directly gave a an angle of religion to the decision.”

In the wake of such regressive comments, the All Assam Minorities Students’ Union (AAMSU) without naming Ajmal, accused a ‘few’ politicians resorting to cheap politics over the Assam government’s two-child policy.

AAMSU advisor AzizurRahman said that every conscious citizen of the community must be aware of the importance of birth control and pledged support to the initiative of the government.

“Keeping in mind the socio-economic condition and the geographical features of Assam, controlling the burgeoning population is a matter which needs serious attention and action. Since the economic condition of many communities — particularly the minorities — is very sound, we support the two-child policy.
“But the government should pay attention to implementing the policy in a practical manner,” he said.

AAMSU, without resorting to communal politics, brought up questions regarding serious issues that Ajmal has very swiftly avoided till date.

The AAMSU demanded justice for people languishing in detention camps across the state after the NRC that left 19,00,00 citizens ‘stateless’. After reports of mysterious deaths and suicide portrayed the deplorable conditions of detention centers where detainees declared ‘foreigners’ or ‘d-voters’ are currently being held, AAMSU president RejaulKarimSarkar demanded the government to re-scrutinize the documents of those spending miserable days in the detention camps.

Ajmal claimed that according to the Sachar Committee report, below 2 percent Muslims get government jobs. The committee had found that the government sector employs 23.7% Muslims while the private sector about 6.5%.

In 2014, Ajmalhad praised Modi’sLokSabha win. Congress alleged that he was cosying up to BJP as it was set to rule Maharashtra, where Ajmal’s perfume business would require the state government’s help.

Now, will the real Ajmal please stand up?