Chaos erupted at the Bihar Assembly during the ongoing Winter Session on Wednesday as Opposition members rushed to the well, raising slogans against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar due to his objectionable remarks on birth control made the day before.
“I apologize and take back my words,” the Bihar CM told reporters after BJP legislators prevented his entry into the legislative assembly.
On Tuesday, during a debate on caste census in the Winter Session of the Assembly, the Bihar Chief Minister sparked controversy by stating that women should be educated to avoid sexual intercourse leading to pregnancy. He emphasized the need for girls’ education to address the issue of population growth in the state.
Kumar, in his address to the Assembly, claimed that the fertility rate in the state, previously at 4.3%, had dropped to 2.9% according to a report from last year.
“I would like to apologize to those whom I may have offended with my words,” Nitish Kumar told reporters on Wednesday.
His remarks incited strong criticism from the BJP, as well as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), who demanded an unconditional apology.
In response, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned Kumar’s statement, calling it “despicable, disgusting, atrocious, obnoxious, and anti-women.” He expressed concerns about the impact of such remarks and behaviour within the state.
Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai also expressed strong disapproval, stating that Nitish Kumar had lost his “mental stability” and should apologize and withdraw from politics.
Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav defended Nitish Kumar, asserting that his remarks were about sex education and should not be misinterpreted as offensive. He clarified that the Chief Minister was discussing practical ways to address the issue of population growth and that this should be considered as a matter of sex education.
