Guna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday over the latter's ‘population control’ remarks in the state assembly, saying the leader of the INDIA bloc insulted India before the world. Without naming Kumar, Modi said no INDI alliance politician objected to his derogatory comments. “He has no shame...will they stoop so low,” the prime minister said, while addressing a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh's Guna.
“A politician who is acting as the flag bearer of the INDI alliance and is playing several games to uproot the current central government; this leader said something unimaginable inside the assembly in front of women politicians. He made obscene remarks. Koi sharm nahi hai unko (He has no shame). Not even a single leader of INDI alliance was ready to say even one word against this insult to women. Those who keep such views about women, can they do any good for you? Can they save your honour?” Modi said.
"How low will you stoop? You are defaming India before the world. Mothers and sisters, to ensure your honour, I will do whatever I can," he added.
Nitish Kumar, while speaking on the importance of education among women to control the population in the state, elaborated on how a woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse. "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," Kumar said on Tuesday.
The remark triggered a massive political row with the BJP demanding Nitish Kumar's resignation.
Nitish Kumar today apologised for his remark inside the assembly and said he was taking his words back. The Opposition members, however, continued their protest inside the house and pressed for his resignation.
Union minister RK Singh today said he was ashamed that Nitish Kumar was the chief minister of Bihar.
"I think each person in Bihar must be ashamed that their CM is using such obscene language in the Assembly...It's a third-grade statement...Nitish Kumar has lost his mind," he said.
National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma today compared Kumar's remark with a dialogue of a "C-grade film".
"The kind of statement he made in the assembly was like a dialogue from a C-grade film. This statement he made in the assembly is a message to all the women and in front of men,” she said.
She demanded that the remarks be expunged from the records.
Union minister of state Nityanand Rai claimed the CM had lost his "mental stability" and must "detach him from politics".
On Tuesday, his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav downplayed the remarks
"Let me tell you one thing. It is wrong if someone misinterprets it. The remarks of the CM were 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 said.
