Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his comments on women’s education and population control. Speaking at a campaign rally in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi referred to a “prominent leader of the INDI alliance” who had used “indecent language” in the Assembly. Without naming Nitish Kumar, the PM questioned whether such people could work for the country and deserve respect.
Throughout the day, multiple BJP leaders have condemned Nitish Kumar’s remarks and called for his resignation. The BJP has urged the people of Bihar to remember his comments when voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The party has also attacked INDIA leaders, including Sonia Gandhi.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai accused Nitish Kumar of losing his “mental stability” and criticized his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, for defending the statement. Other BJP leaders, including Vijay Kumar Sinha and Manoj Tiwari, expressed their disappointment and loss of respect for Nitish Kumar.
BJP leaders from southern states also criticized the Bihar Chief Minister. Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai condemned Nitish Kumar’s “obscene comments” and accused him of adopting the language of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party. Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar demanded to know why women leaders in the INDIA bloc were silent on the matter.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticized Nitish Kumar, reminding him that the Legislative Assembly is a sacred place.
In response to the backlash, Nitish Kumar offered an apology, stating that his words were not intended to hurt anyone. His remark was made during a debate on the caste survey.
The Bihar Chief Minister’s government has passed a proposal to raise quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs and EBCs to 65 percent. This exceeds the 50 percent cap set by the Supreme Court in 1992, which will be further surpassed when considering the center’s 10 percent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections.
The BJP is capitalizing on Nitish Kumar’s comments ahead of the upcoming state elections and the 2024 general election. The party has dismissed his apology and demanded his resignation.
