'Having 4 Begums, 36 Children Wrong': Rajasthan BJP MLA Demands Population Control Law, Slammed By Congress

Rajasthan BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya stated that a population control law was necessary "to become a prosperous and developed country."

In second such remark regarding "population control" made by a BJP leader in Rajasthan recently, MLA Balmukund Acharya stated that the people in "a particular community" have "four begums and 36 children" which is "wrong". Following his remarks, Congress legislator Harimohan Sharma on Tuesday responded saying that the intention of the ruling party is to just target the Muslim community, news agency PTI reported.

The BJP MLA can be heard saying in a video that surfaced on Monday that "There is a huge problem of increasing population. There is a particular community which has ‘char begum aur chhatis bacche’. There are countless such cases. This is wrong. There should be equal laws for everyone, otherwise how will the country move forward."

Thereafter, while talking to reporters in the Rajasthan assembly building on July 16, he stressed on the importance of the population control law.

"There is nothing wrong in the population law. The way the population is increasing, there is a need for more food and housing. This (population) is a hurdle in growth. If we want to become a prosperous and developed country, there should be collective agreement on this and population control law should be made, it will be beneficial for all," he stated.

Recalling a conversation with an e-rickshaw driver in his constituency who had 13 children, the BJP MLA said: "A sister came to my office and said she was the third wife of her husband and now he was going to bring a fourth. I told her that now there is a law against it and she should go to police."

"It is not a matter of government or non-government benefits. The point is that in the country, some families say 'hum do hamare do', while some say whatever (birth) is happening, let it happen as it is God's will. There is a need to look into this," he added.

'Development Happening Without Any Discrimination & Appeasement'

The MLA also stated that under the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, countless schemes for the welfare of the poor were being started, benefitting them without any discrimination. He further said that it was PM Modi who solved the issue of triple talaq.

"After Modi came, development is happening without appeasement and discrimination," he said.

On Sunday, Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra had stated that the government was taking efforts to ensure couples who have more than two or three children are not given any benefit of centre's facilities.

"It is a bitter truth that when the population increases and the resources decrease, problems will arise. And that is why efforts are being made at the level of the central government. There is a thought that couples who have more than two or three children should not get any benefit of government facilities," he said.

Reacting to these comments, Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma said on Tuesday that BJP's intention in the state was only to target a particular community instead of being concerned about population.

He said that though Congress would welcome a population control law, but BJP's motive seemed to just target a particular community.

"A particular community is being targeted. If population law is to be brought, Congress would support it but the BJP's intention is to target the Muslim community instead of bringing the law," Sharma told reporters.

"The BJP government talks from a political point of view and from the point of view of targeting a particular community," he added.

Apart from the population issue, the legislator also suggested the state government to do something about the Hindus who are underprivileged and have to sell their daughters, PTI reported.