'Egregiously insensitive': NCW, DCW demand Nitish Kumar's apology over controversial birth control remarks in Bihar Assembly

The National Commission for Women (NCW) as well as the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Tuesday have demanded an apology from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his controversial remarks over population control in the Bihar Assembly. While emphasising the role of education among women in population control, Kumar put forward quite the vivid description gave a derogatory description of how an educated 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," he said in a rustic style according to news agency PTI. "You, journalists also understand it well. Earlier it (fertility rate) was 4.3, but it has now reached 2.9. And, soon we will reach 2," he added.

The NCW said in a post on X (previously Twitter) that it "vehemently condemns" Kumar's remarks and also said that such comments are "egregiously insensitive" to women's rights and choices. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma demanded an "unequivocal apology" from Kumar and said it was "on behalf of every woman in this country". 

"On behalf of every woman in this country, as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, I demand an unequivocal apology from the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. 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," Sharma said.

She further said that one can imagine the horror Bihar must be enduring under Kumar's leadership if he could make such comments so openly in a democracy.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal sought an apology from Kumar. "Strongly condemn the disgraceful language used by Bihar CM Shri Nitish Kumar while addressing the assembly. He must immediately apologise!" she said. 

Not only NCW and DCW, Kumar's comments also did not go down well with the Opposition. Bihar BJP said in a post on X that it seems like Kumar is "bitten by 'adult B-grade films' bug'", while adding there should be a ban on his remarks. Alluding to the fact that Nitish Kumar has joined the INDIA alliance, BJP's Bihar unit also remarked that the politician seems to be influenced by the company he keeps. 

Calling his remarks 'condemnable and shameful', BJP legislator Nikki Hembrom said that Kumar could have given his statement with dignity. "The statement he gave could have been said with dignity... He should have respected women and said whatever he had to in a dignified manner... It is condemnable and shameful," she told news agency ANI. 

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that Kumar's language inside the Vidhan Sabha is "the most vulgar, indecent, most misogynistic, sexist and patriarchal." Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who is also a senior leader from Bihar, said that Kumar has destroyed the dignity and decorum of democracy with this remark. 

(With agency inputs)

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