Nitish Kumar has brought shame to the country: Modi

Patna: A day after Nitish Kumar’s comments in the House on population control methods created a furore in political circles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna said the Bihar Chief Minister had brought shame to the country.

Modi asked the INDIA bloc leaders why they were silent on the Bihar Chief Minister’s statement.

“There were women sitting in the Vidhan Sabha and that INDIA bloc leader talked in the most vulgar manner,” Modi said and slammed Nitish for being insensitive and asked how could his government save the honour of women if they did not respect them?

The National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma, too, on Wednesday lambasted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his remarks in the state Assembly. She likened his comments to a "C-grade movie dialogue."

In a press conference called shortly after Nitish Kumar issued an apology for his remarks, stating, "I apologise and take back my words..." Sharma expressed her disapproval of Kumar's statement, describing it as reminiscent of low-quality film dialogues.

Asserting that the remarks had broader implications for women and society as a whole, the NCW chief highlighted the disappointing reaction of male MLAs in the House, who were seen laughing.

Sharma characterised Kumar's actions and gestures as an "unfortunate and inappropriate" attempt at humour.

Furthermore, Sharma raised concerns about the Assembly Speaker not yet expunging Kumar's statements from the record.

She demanded that the Speaker take action against the Chief Minister and ensure that his statements were expunged from the official records.

"National Commission for Women, vehemently condemns the recent statements made by Nitish Kumar in the Vidhan Sabha concerning women's fertility and education and linking it to the population of the country. Such remarks are not only regressive but also egregiously insensitive to women's rights and choices. Bihar's Chief Minister should issue an apology to women across the country for these deeply offensive remarks," the NCW had posted on X on Tuesday.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, too, slammed Nitish Kumar for his comments.

“The Vidhan Sabha is a separate place. It is not like you are sitting on the road or in the house or in the cinema. Vidhan Sabha has its own sanctity. He is a Chief Minister of a state and the way he has made the statement was extremely vulgar. He could have said that when a woman becomes educated she decides when the child is required. Instead he made vulgar comments and actions. At least you should respect where you are standing. It was Bihar Vidhan Sabha and not a cinema theater where a picture with an A certificate was running,” said Owaisi.