Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s comments on the role of women’s education in population control have sparked a debate, with both supporters and critics weighing in on the issue.
Kumar, while speaking during the tabling of the caste census report in the Bihar legislative assembly, suggested that educated women are better able to ensure that sexual intercourse does not necessarily lead to pregnancy, which helps keep the population in check.
His remarks were met with immediate criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which called them an “attack on the dignity of women.” The National Commission for Women (NCW) also condemned Kumar’s comments, calling them “crass.”
NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said in a statement, “NCW on behalf of every woman in this country demands an immediate and unequivocal apology from the CM. 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.”
However, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav defended Kumar, saying that his comments were misinterpreted. Yadav said, “One must not take it in the wrong sense. People are sometimes embarrassed talking about it but sex education is taught in schools. It’s biology, children study it. He was talking about population control, people should not misinterpret it.”
BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan said, “What and how the CM said certain things in the Assembly is an attack on the dignity of six crore women. As a Bihari, we all are embarrassed and appalled. The CM must apologize.”
Kumar’s comments have reignited the debate on the role of women’s education in population control. While some believe that education empowers women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, others argue that such comments perpetuate stereotypes and undermine women’s autonomy.
