Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar faces backlash and apologises for controversial population control comments in the Legislative Assembly

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar issued an apology on Wednesday for making controversial statements about the connection between a woman’s education and population control during a session in the state Assembly on Tuesday. In his remarks, the chief minister discussed the significance of female education in addressing Bihar's population concerns and elaborated on how women can ‘restrain their husbands’ during sexual intercourse. Soon, a political slugfest ensued with BJP leaders demanding the Bihar CM’s resignation and stating that he had ‘lost his mind’ for passing such ‘vulgar’ and ‘derogatory’ statements.

"I apologise and I take back my words. If my words were wrong, I apologise. If anyone got hurt, I take them back. I did not intend to hurt anybody. I have always said that education plays a pivotal role and it is important to keep the population in control. I have actively advocated for women's empowerment and women’s development,” said Nitish Kumar. Speaking on the noticeable drop in Bihar’s fertility rate from 4.2% to 2.9% Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said, “The husband's acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him...this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down.”

The Bihar Chief Minister’s comment passed during a session of the Bihar assembly stirred a massive political row. Several BJP leaders slammed Kumar for the language he used on the floor of the assembly, calling it ‘derogatory’, ‘vulgar’, ‘shameful’ and ‘disgusting’. Rekha Sharma, the head of the National Commission for Women, also called for an apology from Nitish Kumar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party mounted a barrage of scathing attacks on their friend turn foe over his statement. Taking to social media platform ‘X’, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said, “Do listen to Mahaguru Nitishanand Maharaj's porn storytelling and keep the population in control.”

"I think each person in Bihar must be ashamed that their CM is using such obscene language in the Assembly...It's a third-grade statement...Nitish Kumar has lost his mind," said BJP’s RK Singh stating that he is ashamed that Nitish Kumar is the CM of Bihar.

Hitting back at the Bihar CM for his remark and demanding his resignation, BJP leader Vijay Sinha said, "His statements are to shame women. This is the land of the Maa Janki. The whole country saw how he embarrassed women in the Assembly. CM has lost his memory... He should resign... He is no more worthy of sitting in the Assembly."

BJP’s Nivedita Singh broke down on camera over Nitish Kumar’s statement. "You all witnessed this in real-time... people shouldn't see or hear such embarrassing videos for women. Such type of remarks made in the legislative assembly upsets us. I lost all self-control and left the house. I went away since I didn't have the strength to listen to such remarks," said Singh.

"The way he spoke was like a C-Grade movie dialogue in the assembly in front of women and the worst thing was the men sitting behind him were laughing...His actions and gestures were almost like an ugly joke...The worst is this, the Speaker hasn't expunged them yet...Bihar Assembly Speaker should take steps against him, his statements must be expunged," said NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma, condemning the Bihar CM’s remarks.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi noted that Nitish Kumar’s remarks were ‘inappropriate’ for a ‘sacred place like the Legislative Assembly.’ “The Legislative Assembly is a sacred place...it has a certain sanctity...It was a vulgar language. He could have said that women if educated enough would be able to decide when to have children but instead, he described it through his words and gestures which was inappropriate,” said Owaisi.

As the controversy surrounding the comments escalated, Nitish Kumar received support from Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav, who asserted that the Chief Minister was discussing the topic of sexual education in schools. “Let me tell you one thing. It is wrong if someone misinterprets it. The statement of the CM was regarding sex education. People are hesitant whenever the topic of sex education is discussed. This is now taught in schools. Science and biology are taught in schools. Children learn it. He said what should be done practically to stop the increase in population... This should not be taken in a wrong manner. It should be taken as a sex education,” said Tejaswi.

The Opposition leaders within the Bihar assembly voiced their disapproval of Nitish Kumar's actions on Wednesday. In response to these protests, the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, said that he had already apologized and taken back his statement and that the members of the opposition had been given directives by their respective political parties to criticize his statements and policies.​