Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Expresses Regret for Population Control Remarks: ‘I Retract My Statement
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar issued an apology on Wednesday following the uproar over his remarks on the correlation between women’s education and population control. In response to criticism from the opposition BJP, Kumar expressed regret, stating, “I apologise and retract my words.”
While highlighting the significance of women’s education in population management, Kumar provided a detailed illustration in the assembly, depicting how an educated woman can influence her husband’s choices during intimate moments. This portrayal has been widely criticised as “highly misogynistic, vulgar, and patriarchal.”
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla strongly condemned Nitish Kumar for his comments
denouncing them as “highly vulgar, indecent, misogynistic, sexist, and patriarchal.” Poonawalla expressed concern over the Chief Minister’s mindset, stating, “Kumar has transitioned from being a responsible official to a reckless one. Just envision the impact on the women of Bihar when such language is used within the state assembly.
Poonawalla insisted that the chief minister resign from his position
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) strongly denounced Kumar’s statements in the Assembly regarding the link between women’s education and population control. The NCW demanded an apology from the Chief Minister, expressing that such remarks are not just regressive but also remarkably insensitive to women’s rights and choices.
In an official statement, the NCW declared, “Such remarks are not only regressive but also egregiously insensitive to women’s rights and choices. The Chief Minister of Bihar should extend an apology to women nationwide for these highly offensive remarks.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
issued an apology for his “derogatory” comments about the connection between women’s education and population control during a session in the state Assembly on Tuesday afternoon.He expressed, “I offer my apologies and take back my words.”
If my remarks were inappropriate and caused any distress, I sincerely apologise.
They were not intended to hurt anybody. I have consistently advocated for education as a crucial factor in population control. Furthermore, I have been a staunch supporter of women’s empowerment and development.”
In a conversation with reporters on Wednesday morning, Nitish Kumar stated, “Upon analysis, we observed that at a national level, when both a man and woman have completed matriculation (class 10), the fertility rate stands at 2. Similarly, in Bihar, if both partners have matriculated, the fertility rate is also 2. When the woman has pursued education beyond intermediate (class 12 or above), the national fertility rate drops to 1.7. In Bihar, it was recorded at 1.6.”