Nitish Kumar apologises for his birth control remarks, BJP demands resignation

The remarks – delivered in the state assembly – have since drawn widespread condemnation from women MLAs and the National Commission for Women

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who courted controversy on Tuesday with a speech on the importance of educating women in birth control using gestures and descriptive language, apologised on Wednesday after facing widespread condemnation for his comments from different quarters.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar speaking to the media outside the state legislative assemgly on Wednesday. (HT/Santosh Kumar)

“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,” said Kumar on assembly premises after BJP legislators blocked the main entrance to the building.

Kumar, seeing the protest, walked straight towards the media and conveyed his apology. He then entered the assembly from the Legislative Council side and stood up amid protest by BJP.

“I self-condemn myself and take all the statements back,” he reiterated on the floor of House amid slogan shouting by the BJP legislators. The house was adjourned till 2 pm.

The BJP, however, demanded his resignation from the post. “He seems to be ill and not in a condition to run the constitutional post,” said leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha. “We demand resignation. Mere apology will not do,” he added.

Kumar, on Tuesday, during his speech on the socio-economic aspect of the caste survey -- which had been tabled in the assembly on Tuesday -- had highlighted how an educated married woman could influence her husband to prevent pregnancy.

“When an educated girl gets married, she can help in population control by telling her husband how to go safe and this has actually helped in population control,” Kumar said much to the surprise of many women members in the assembly.

“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,” he said.

In March, Nitish had drawn flak for referring to an alleged act of bestiality while making a point in the assembly about “some men” always “making a mess”.

The remarks – delivered in the state assembly – have since drawn widespread condemnation from women MLAs and the National Commission for Women. The NCW has also demanded an “immediate and unequivocal apology” from the CM on behalf of all Indian women. His ‘crass’ comments, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said, were an ‘affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves’.

Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav however insisted that the statement ‘should be taken as sex education’.

“Let me tell you one thing. It is wrong if someone misinterprets it. The statement of the CM was regarding sex education. People are hesitant whenever the topic of sex education is discussed. This is now taught in schools. Science and biology are taught in schools. Children learn it. He said what should be done practically to stop the increase in population... This should not be taken in a wrong manner. It should be taken as a sex education…” Yadav told reporters.