Rampur, UP: Population control is not a communal issue and those who are linking it to a particular religion are trying to impose their distorted mentality and communal thinking, Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas said on Sunday.

It is heartening that the campaign for population control is being started from Uttar Pradesh, which is the India's most populous state, Mr Naqvi said, while addressing newly elected representatives of Panchayats on his two-day visit to Rampur.

Endorsing the population control campaign initiated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, "it’s our responsibility to fulfil the aspirations of the people who have elected us and expressed their trust on us. Our government is for all, those who have voted for us and also those who have not voted for us. There should be no discrimination with anyone in terms of development."

Emphasising “Inclusive Development”, he said the Centre and the state government will provide enough funds for development activities to ensure welfare of villages, poor, farmers and weaker sections.

He said that the people’s mandate in the recent Panchayat elections are a testimony to people’s support to measures taken by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath Government in UP for empowerment of villages, poor, farmers and other needy sections. These results are crystal clear indication for our victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.

The minister said that some opposition parties are behaving like “The angry cat scratches the pillar” due to their defeat in recent local bodies elections. We should ignore this “Vilaap Mandli” and should focus on our policies, programmes and principles to ensure “happiness in eyes and prosperity” in life of every needy of the society".

 (Agencies)