“In India, population explosion is disturbing the balance of economy, social harmony and resources. One of the reasons (for failure to check it) is dhaarmik vyavadhan (religious obstacles),” Singh wrote in his caption on Twitter. (File photo)Expressing his concern over the alarming “population explosion” in India since Independence, Union Minister Giriraj Singh Thursday suggested that couples with more than two children should be stripped off their franchise to vote.
The BJP leader, while speaking against the backdrop of World Population Day, shared a graphic on Twitter which showed that India’s population had grown by a staggering 366 per cent between 1947 and 2019 whereas, the United States witnessed a rise of about 113 per cent.
हिंदुस्तान में जनसंख्या विस्फोट अर्थव्यवस्था सामाजिक समरसता और संसाधन का संतुलन बिगाड़ रहा है।
जनसंख्या नियंत्रण पर धार्मिक व्यवधान भी एक कारण है,हिंदुस्तान 47की तर्ज़ पर सांस्कृतिक विभाजन की ओर बढ़ रहा है।
सभी राजनीतिक दलों को साथ हो जनसंख्या नियंत्रण क़ानून के लिए आगे आना होगा। pic.twitter.com/Do16IH42re— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) July 11, 2019
“In India, population explosion is disturbing the balance of economy, social harmony and resources. One of the reasons (for failure to check it) is dhaarmik vyavadhan (religious obstacles),” Singh wrote in his caption on Twitter.
Claiming that there would soon be a need for birth control law to be formulated, the Cabinet minister warned: “India appears to be heading like in 1947 towards another a ‘saanskritik vibhajan’ (partition in the name of culture). All political parties will have to come forward for a birth control law.”
In an interview to a news channel in Delhi, where he was attending an event to talk further about the birth control law, he said, “I hold the view that those who have more than two children should be stripped of their voting rights. And this provision must be applicable to all communities. No exemption should be made for any religious group just because it insists that its tenets disapprove of birth control measures.”
His comments elicited sharp reactions from opposition RJD and Congress leaders in Bihar. State RJD president Ram Chandra Purbe said Singh’s comments were an example of “ochhi rajneeti” (petty politics) and alleged that the minister was blaming the minorities for the rapid growth in population.
Targeting Singh over his remarks, Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra said, “From where does the Union minister get such fanciful ideas? Can he point out any provision in the Constitution under which a person can be disenfranchised for having more than a specified number of children?”
This is not the first time that Singh has faced flak for his comments against minority communities. A case of model code of conduct violation was imposed against Singh, who contested from Begusarai for the Lok Sabha elections for making objectionable comments against a minority community.
-with agency inputs
