Nitish Kumar's unusual explanation of population control and girls' education sparks controversy

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's comments on the relationship between girls' education and population control have ignited a firestorm of controversy. During a session in the state assembly on November 7, the Chief Minister provided a detailed explanation, drawing reactions ranging from smiles to discomfort among legislators, and strong criticism from some quarters.

The remarks came in the wake of the release of the controversial caste survey report detailing economic conditions in various sections of the state. Nitish Kumar began by highlighting the state's improving fertility rate, which, according to a report from last year, had dropped from 4.3 percent to 2.9 percent.

The Chief Minister went on to make a rather unusual claim: "If a girl completes her matriculation, the fertility rate on average comes down to two percent, and if she finishes her school education, it further falls to 1.7 percent nationally." This assertion raised eyebrows among both legislators and the public.

Furthermore, Nitish Kumar mentioned the state's progress in literacy rates, stating that the literacy rate had increased from 61 percent in the 2011 census to over 79 percent.

However, not all reactions to the Chief Minister's remarks were positive. Several women legislators, including BJP MLA Gayatri Devi, expressed their disapproval. "The Chief Minister has crossed the age of 70 years and has made nonsensical remarks. He used a word that we cannot utter at all. All of us women will protest against this," said Gayatri Devi.

Congress legislator Pratima Das suggested that the Chief Minister should exercise restraint in his choice of words. "Our society prohibits saying certain things in public," she added.

The Bihar BJP also criticized Nitish Kumar for his comments on population control. In a Twitter post, they said, "Nobody has ever seen an obscene leader like Nitish Kumar in Indian politics. It seems that Nitish Babu's mind is infested with the desires of 'B' grade adult films. There should be a public ban on his double-meaning dialogues. It seems he is influenced by his company!"

Interestingly, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav appeared to support Nitish Kumar's stance on population control. He stated that the Chief Minister's remarks pertained to sex education, which is typically taught as a part of biology curriculum.