Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Jul 14 (IANS): Renowned Islamic seminary, the Darul Uloom Deoband, has issued a statement, criticizing the state government's draft population control bill, on the grounds that it will hurt the interest of every section of society.

Vice-Chancellor of the seminary, Abul Qasim Nomani, said, "This policy is against every section of society. What kind of policy denies basic facilities to families that have more than two children? It is against human rights."

He said that anyone, according to the draft, who has more than two children will not be able to contest local body polls, will not get promotion in government jobs and will not receive any government subsidy.

Asked if the seminary will appeal to the government to reconsider the decision, spokesperson Ashraf Usmani said, "Who are we to make an appeal? But we can say that this is not right. For example, a man has three children. Now what is the fault of those children, why are they being deprived of basic facilities? This is not justice."

Union minister Sanjeev Balyan said, "There was no need for Darul Uloom to give such a statement. Why is religion being dragged into it? We have the second-largest population in the world and we are still growing very fast. It is the right time to act on it now."

While the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad has supported the population draft bill, the VHP has expressed reservations on it.

In its letter to the state Law Commission, it said that the one-child policy norm is likely to lead to furthering of the imbalance between different communities.