While discussing the state's poor performance in rural issues, despite numerous welfare schemes, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said,"We will not give benefits to families having more than two children. We can give attention to development only if the growth of population is controlled."

Needless to say that the idea that the growing population is responsible for the state's poor performance and increasing poverty levels is questionable.

Further, the Jana Arogya Andolana Karnataka (JAAK), an organisation working in the health sector in Karnataka, has argued that the chief minister's statement reveals an anti- poor bias. "Where the two-child norm is linked to political participation, studies have found that it disproportionately affects the participation of those who are poor and those belonging to socially discriminated castes and restricts their voices in democratic, local self-government."

The JAAK believes that such a law would also encourage men to abandon women who give birth to female children. Women may also be forced into undergoing abortions. The government has to first look at increasing maternal mortality, dropping vaccination rates and increased incidence of malnutrition. The JAAK calls the two-child norm a "coercive, anti-poor, anti-people policy".

IJME through its engagement with issues related to medical ethics, has debated issues concerning public health policy, be it the population policy of India or China's one - child policy . The recent two child norm debate in Karnataka's Assembly, is summarised as a continuing concern to engage with role of State in the health sector and its implications.