Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the ‘birth control’ remarks made by Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (U) leader Nitish Kumar, the party’s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh (known as Lalan Singh), said on Saturday that the comments are solely about marriage leading to children for the purpose of continuing the ‘lineage’.
Speaking to media amid outrage among political parties over the controversial comments by the chief minister, Lalan Singh said, “What objectionable statement has he given? Everyone knows that one marries off their children to carry forward their lineage. So the CM had also said the same. What is the problem with this? Only those who do not get anything, look for such controversies.”
On Wednesday, Nitish Kumar apologised for his Tuesday comments over which women politicians, along with National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma, demanded an apology.
Earlier on Tuesday, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said it is wrong to misinterpret Nitish Kumar’s statement. “Let me clarify something. Whatever the chief minister was saying was about sex education. People become hesitant over this topic, but these are taught in schools — in science, biology. Children learn this. He said what needs to be done practically to control the population. This should not be taken in a wrong manner, but as sex education,” Tejashwi said.
A large contingent of female leaders and activists, including members of Delhi BJP’s Mahila Morcha, chanted slogans in protest against the chief minister and called for his resignation due to his “vulgar” comments.
What were Nitish Kumar’s ‘controversial’ remarks?
In the Bihar assembly on Tuesday, Nitish Kumar made comments regarding the ‘importance’ of women’s education in population control. In a rustic manner, Kumar vividly described how an educated woman can influence her husband’s actions during sexual intercourse, saying, “The husband’s acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him… this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down…You, journalists also understand it well. Earlier it (fertility rate) was 4.3, but it has now reached 2.9. And, soon we will reach 2.”
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Nitish Kumar issued an apology for his remarks, saying, “I apologise if I have hurt anybody. It was not intended to hurt anybody. I have always maintained that education is necessary for population control. I have also stood for women empowerment and women’s development.”
(With inputs from agencies)