I Said Have 4 Children, Not 40 Puppies: BJP's Sadhvi Prachi

Despite the Prime Minister's private warnings to his party to restrain from controversial comments, a new hate speech has been delivered by the BJP's Sadhvi Prachi.

The saffron robe-wearing leader, who ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 2012, recently said Hindu women should have at least four children to "protect the religion". On Sunday, she defended that statement at a public meeting, declaring, "I asked people to have four children, not 40 puppies."

She also made derogatory remarks about minorities at the same event in her home state. "The BJP won't humour any such statements, no matter who makes it. I will personally speak to her about this," said Laxmikant Bajpai, head of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, to news agency ANI.

The PM, determined to prevent controversies from over-shadowing his focus on an agenda of economic reform, has told his party leaders to stop commenting on issues like religious conversions, used by his political opponents as evidence of his government's intent to promote a Hindu-dominant agenda.

However, a series of representatives from right-wing groups affiliated to the BJP have made remarks that include declaring that India is a nation of Hindus.

The last session of Parliament saw key legislation stalled by the Opposition's protests to what it described as signs of the government's intent to undermine the constitutional commitment to secularism and respect for all faiths.