4 min readPatnaNov 8, 2023 05:41 PM IST
First published on: Nov 8, 2023 at 12:05 PM IST
A day after his crude remarks on educated women and family planning sparked controversy and led to a reprimand from the National Commission for Women (NCW) and criticism from the Opposition, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday apologised for his statement with folded hands.
“If I have said certain things that have been inviting so much criticism…If my saying so was wrong, I apologise for it. I take back my words. If my statement is being criticised, I apologise,” Kumar said just before the beginning of the third day of the Assembly session.
On Tuesday, while speaking on the caste survey report in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Kumar spoke about how educated women could prevent pregnancy. The chief minister suggested that an educated woman could ensure that sex did not necessarily end in pregnancy, and this would help keep the population in check. The chief minister repeated the same statement during his speech in the Legislative Council.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, Nitish said, “We found that on a national level if a man and woman are matric pass (graduated class 10), then the fertility rate is at 2. In Bihar, also, if both man and woman are matric pass, then the fertility rate is at 2. If the woman (has graduated) inter or more (class 12 or above) then, on the national level, the fertility rate is 1.7. In Bihar, it was 1.6.”
“I was so happy to know this, I thought we should educate our women speedily. We then made measures to ensure education till inter (class 12) all over the state,” he added.
BJP leader and the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha said Nitish should resign. “He isn’t worthy of the Assembly anymore… his deputy is talking about sex education. Both ministers are not of worthy character.”
“A lot is being written against at a large scale over my remarks. I have spoken more about educating women, and I have emphasised on how earlier very few women could get educated, and we have raised that number… There were a lot of places where there was no education, so we tried to educate those people,” the Bihar CM added.
Seeking an “immediate and unequivocal apology” from Kumar, the NCW had said that his “crass remarks” were an “affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves”. BJP MLC Nivedita Singh came out of the House in tears and said later: “We had come to listen to the CM, known for his profound knowledge. But we were appalled at what he said and how he said (it).”
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, meanwhile, defended Nitish, saying his remarks should not be misinterpreted. “One must not take it in the wrong sense. People are sometimes embarrassed talking about it but sex education is taught in schools. It’s biology, children study it,” Yadav said.
“We were all embarrassed and the CM had to apologise or else the House proceedings could be stalled…We have just taken a landmark decision on increasing quota and do not want any deviation now,” a JD(U) leader said. The state cabinet late on Tuesday evening decided to increase quota from 60 per cent (including 10 per cent to EWS) to 75 per cent and a reservation bill is likely to be brought in the ongoing Assembly session.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaks with the media during Winter session of State Assembly, in Patna, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (PTI Photo) 
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