'Nitish Kumar Has Lost Mental Balance, Apology Not Enough': BJP Escalates Attack On Bihar CM Over Birth Control Remarks

Facing flak, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar apologised for his remarks in the State assembly on the role of women in population growth.

Patna: In a scathing riposte to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his distasteful remarks on women during a debate on caste census at the state Assembly, the BJP on Wednesday escalated its attack on the former, saying his ''apology is not enough.'' While hundreds of BJP Women Wing workers staged a demonstration in Bihar's capital Patna and burned his effigy, bedlam broke at the Bihar Assembly during the ongoing Winter Session over the issue.

The Opposition members rushed to the well raising slogans against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his objectionable remarks on birth control the day before.

Nitish Kumar Tenders Apology

Earlier this morning, Nitish Kumar apologised for his remarks in the State assembly on the role of women in population growth. "I apologise and I take back my words...," Kumar said to reporters after BJP legislators did not allow him to enter the legislative assembly. Speaking on the floor of the Assembly, the Bihar Chief Minster on Tuesday said that women should be educated as it would enable them to avoid sexual intercourse from resulting in pregnancy.

Addressing the Winter Session of the Assembly during a debate on caste census yesterday, the Chief Minister made the remarks while underlining the need for girls' education to check population growth.  In a video, the Bihar CM was heard saying that the state's fertility rate, which was earlier at 4.3 per cent, has dropped to 2.9 per cent, as per a report last year.

"If my words were wrong, then I apologise for that. If anyone got hurt by my words, I take them back," Kumar said today while talking to reporters today.

BJP Escalates Attack On Nitish

Slamming CM Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said he has lost his "mental balance". Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, the Union Minister said, "His remarks were highly objectionable. Only a person, who has lost his mental bearings, can use such crass words against women. He is no longer worthy of holding the CM's office. he has lowered the country's image by sullying its culture. He should extend an unqualified apology and retire from politics."

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday also came down on the Bihar CM over his statement saying that it was "despicable, disgusting, atrocious, obnoxious and women virodhi". 

The remark drew outrage from the BJP as well as the National Commission for Women (NCW), who demanded that he tender an unconditional apology. "The comments made by Nitish Kumar were despicable, disgusting, atrocious, obnoxious, and women 'virodhi'. It only shows the impact their (JDU's) ally RJD has had on his and the government's thinking. If they think like this and make such distasteful remarks in the Assembly then one can well imagine the plight of women in Bihar. Tejaswhi Yadav (deputy CM) justified his statement calling it sex education. This only goes to show the depths to which this alliance has stooped," Poonawalla said in a self-made video on Wednesday.

National Commission for Women writes to Bihar Legislative Assembly Speaker urging for action against CM Nitish Kumar over his derogatory remarks and expunging of his remarks from Assembly records pic.twitter.com/7BE0s3QFsZ — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2023

The National Commission for Women chairperson, Rekha Sharma, sought an immediate apology from the Bihar CM over his remarks, saying, "I demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. His crass remarks in the Vidhan Sabha are an affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves. Such derogatory and cheap language used during his speech is a dark stain on our society. If a leader can make such comments so openly in a democracy, one can only imagine the horror the state must be enduring under his leadership."

His bizarre remarks on population control in the state also drew flak from women legislators. BJP MLA Nikki Hembrom labelled the CM's remarks as insensitive, saying, "Whatever he said could have been presented in a more dignified manner. His remarks were insensitive and show that he has no respect for women," Nikki said.

Defending Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said it was wrong to misinterpret the chief minister's remarks as he was only talking about sex education.

"It is wrong if someone misinterprets it. The CM's remarks pertained to sex education. People are often hesitant when it comes to sex education. It is now being taught in schools just as other subjects are. Children are learning about it. He only said what should be done to control the population. His words should be taken in their proper sense," Yadav said.