Population issue BJP’s diversion tactic: Mayawati

In recent days, several BJP ministers in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre have spoken on the need for population control.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is confusing people on the issue of population control to deviate from “real priority” such as price rice and unemployment, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati alleged on Wednesday.

Mayawati’s statement comes at a time when several BJP ministers in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre have spoken on the need for population control.

“At a time, when the people are limiting their needs due to extreme poverty and rising unemployment and are forced to lead a stressful life, is it wise of the BJP to confuse people with long-term issues like population control?” Mayawati posted on Twitter in Hindi.

“Population control is a long-term policy issue, which needs more awareness than law, but instead of paying attention to the real priority of the country, the BJP governments are choosing devious and controversial issues,” she added. “In such a situation how can the best of public interest, the country’s interest be possible? People are sad and restless.”

Mayawati’s statement comes at a time when several BJP ministers in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre have spoken on the need for population control. On Monday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that population “imbalance” in the country can lead to “chaos” and “anarchy”.

“Differences in growth rates of different religious groups (religious demographic imbalance) may cause chaos and anarchy in the country,” Adityanath said at the commencement of a programme marking the launch of the population stabilisation fortnight in Lucknow.

Last month, Union minister for food processing industries Prahlad Singh Patel said a law on population control would be brought soon. “It will be brought soon, don’t worry. When such strong and big decisions have been taken then the rest too (will be taken),” Patel told reporters in Raipur on June 1.