Not only the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) — an important member of the larger saffron Parivar — but Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key ally of the BJP, has also raised some reservations on the new population policy for 2021-2030 as announced this week by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath aimed at reducing the population to “sustain development growth”.
Treading carefully on a “politically sensitive” issue, Nitish Kumar said, “Population control can’t be attained by just making laws.”
He said every State is independent to do what they want. “When women will be educated they’ll become conscious enough and the fertility rate will decrease,” said Kumar mindful of “reactions” it evoked in many communities, particularly among minorities, his party’s dominant vote-bank.
Kumar’s response was way away from that of Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.
