Patna: Speaking on World Population Day, union minister Giriraj Singh said India's population is expanding like the mouth of Sursa, a mythical female demon.
The Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department shared the video statement on Twitter and called for stricter measures to control the country's population.
Singh said India lost to China in terms of economic progress over the last three decades but surpassed it in population growth. He blamed it on the "perverse mindset of one person siring 10 children".
He added that such a mindset cannot be allowed and a stringent law is needed for population control. The minister said the law should apply across the country and to people of all religions. He stressed that the demand for such a law should be raised from Parliament to the streets.
The BJP leader's statements are in contrast to the view of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who has publicly disapproved of using legislative routes to control the population. He insists that educating women is the way to deal with the problem.
The JD(U) leader stressed that the fertility rates of Bihar declined when women's education increased. The JD(U) is BJP's largest ally at the national level.
Other political parties have criticised the BJP leaders for talking about population explosion as a strategy against Muslims. The party has alleged the Muslim community of trying to change the demographics by making more children. Some BJP leaders have also asked Hindus to make more children over the same worry.