Minister Giriraj Singh says he wants a law on two-child rule for all religions
Highlights
- Govt must enforce 2-child rule on all religions, says Giriraj Singh
- 'Will have to keep our daughters veiled if no 2-child policy': Minister
- Minister also said he was concerned with the decline of 'our population'
Giriraj Singh, the union minister known for shooting his mouth off, now suggests that if India does not enforce a two-children rule for all religions, "our daughters have to be kept behind veils".
The BJP leader also argues that the share of Hindus in the population is declining.
"I want a law in which Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians can have only two children. If we want the country to develop then it will not happen without population control," Mr Singh, a Minister of State, said yesterday at a cultural event in Bihar's Champaran.
"In independent India our population has come down from 90 per cent to 72-74," he told an audience of mostly religious leaders.
He said he was concerned that "our population" is on the decline.
"Population control rules have to be changed, only then will our daughters be safe. Otherwise, like Pakistan, we too have to keep our daughters behind veils," Mr Singh reportedly said.
"The way we had lost Aryavrata and Jambudweep (names for ancient, undivided India) we will also lose Bharatvarsha," he added.
In his two years as union minister, Mr Singh has many controversial pronouncements to his credit.
He burst into the national spotlight when he said while campaigning for the 2014 national election that those criticising Narendra Modi should be "sent to Pakistan".
Last year, he was forced to apologise in Parliament and was also summoned by PM Modi when he was caught on camera making racist remarks on Congress president Sonia Gandhi.