Third child may invite punishment in Kerala, church opposes

The Communist government in Kerala proposes to penalize couples having a third child in a bid to control population. The move however comes in contrast with a recent Church appeal urging families to have more children.

The Law Reforms Commission of Kerala headed by eminent jurist Justice V R Krishna Iyer has recommended a penalty of Rs 10,000 and withdrawal of free education and health care for anyone who goes for a third child.

The proposed Kerala Family Planning and Control Bill seeks to promote family planning and birth control as methods of controlling population.

"No person or institution shall use religion, region, sect, caste, cult or other inducements for production of more children than permitted," reads the Bill.

Furthermore, once the law comes into force, "Any person or a public organization or institution associated with or carrying on the work of family planning and birth control" may approach a court against those found violating the provisions.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council at its recent meeting had expressed grave concern over the decline of Christian population in the state, while there has been a steady growth among the Muslims.

According to Father Althara, spokesperson of KCBC, the Church in Kerala would launch aggressive pro–life campaigns through its family apostolate in every diocese. "The Church would take care of the education and health–care needs of children from economically backward families, if they are willing to have more babies," he said.

Apart from free education for such families, the Church has also proposed to offer medical assistance to mothers in Christian–run hospitals. This they believe would ease the financial burden of families during childbirth.

In the last two national censuses, taken in 1991 and 2001, the Christian community in Kerala shrank slightly in terms of population percentage.