On Tuesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sparked controversy over his inappropriate comments regarding educated women and family planning, resulting in a rebuke by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and condemnation by the BJP-led opposition. Nitish Kumar issued an apology on Wednesday, folding his hands as a sign of contrition. The controversial remarks were made as he explained why Bihar‘s fertility rate has dropped from 4.2 to 2.9 per cent.
The Bihar CM later expressed regret and retracted his previous statement, asserting that his words had been misunderstood and distorted. Addressing the press, he reiterated, “I offer my apologies if my remarks have caused any offence.”
Despite Nitish Kumar’s apology, the opposition leaders remained dissatisfied and persisted with their protest during the Bihar Assembly session. They continued to object to the derogatory remarks made by the Bihar CM and insisted on his immediate resignation.
Addressing the controversy, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav came to the defence of his leader, emphasising that it was incorrect to misconstrue the chief minister’s statements as they pertained to sex education. Yadav stated, “Let me clarify one thing. It is a misinterpretation if someone perceives it differently. The Chief Minister’s comments were in the context of sex education. People often feel uncomfortable when the topic of sex education arises. Nowadays, it is a part of the school curriculum. Science and biology are taught in schools, and children are educated on the subject. He discussed practical measures to control population growth. This should not be misunderstood; it should be viewed as a form of sex education.”
Nivedita Singh, a BJP leader, strongly criticised Nitish Kumar, stating that his statement had caused embarrassment to women across the entire nation.
“I found myself unable to restrain my reaction and left the legislative assembly. In the House, there were seven or eight other female lawmakers, perhaps eager to hear their leader. I have no qualms about that, but I simply couldn’t bear to listen to such remarks, so I chose to exit,” she further commented.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp critique of Nitish Kumar for his highly offensive comments. Speaking at a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna, the prime minister also criticised leaders of the INDIA alliance for their silence on the matter and their failure to denounce Kumar’s offensive statements. Without explicitly mentioning Nitish, PM Modi stated, “A prominent figure from the INDIA alliance, the ‘Ghamandiya Gathbandhan,’ used inappropriate language regarding women inside the Assembly just yesterday. They show no remorse. No leader from the INDIA alliance spoke out against it. Can people who hold such views about women truly work in your best interests?”
This statement coming from an official of such stature in this day and age in itself shows the deep-rooted bias against women. It is important to sensitise the population on how one should evolve with time, including over the language used in private or public platforms like these. Politicians, who are the face of a nation on a global platform and considered role models by many, should exercise extreme caution before making such regressive comments that pull the country back in time.
