Nitish Kumar is speaking the same language as the DMK party, K Annamalai said (File)
Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his distasteful remarks on women during a debate on caste census at the state Assembly and called it "cringe-worthy."
"We condemn it. It is very unfortunate that a senior leader like Nitish Kumar has spoken about our mothers and sisters in a way that is very obscene and we can totally call it cringe-worthy," the Tamil Nadu BJP President said on Wednesday while talking to news agency ANI.
"Nitish Kumar ji after joining the INDI alliance, is speaking the same language as the DMK party. The DMK party generally uses the same language. After Nitish Kumar's statement, our mothers and sisters are feeling offended and outraged. I apologise and will not do any good for the damage he caused yesterday in the Bihar Assembly," he added.
Speaking on the floor of the Assembly, the Bihar Chief Minister said women should be educated as it would enable them to avoid sexual intercourse from resulting in pregnancy.
The remark drew outrage from the BJP as well as the National Commission for Women (NCW), who demanded that he tender an unconditional apology.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Aparna Yadav said that this kind of statement by Bihar's Chief Minister is really shameful for the whole country and demanded his resignation.
"First of all, being a woman, I am angry at the statement. I don't think he should have made this statement... This kind of statement by Bihar's CM is really shameful for the whole country... Now when the elections happen, Bihar people should remember what kind of people they voted for... He should resign," Aparna Yadav said.
Meanwhile, the BJP held protests against Nitish Kumar's statement on population control outside Bihar Bhawan in Delhi.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that the kind of indecent language Bihar CM Nitish Kumar used in the Assembly is condemnable.
"It is an insult to democracy... Women are the strength of the country. Nitish Kumar should resign," the Delhi BJP president said.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that after making this statement, Nitish Kumar seems like a gone case.
"I have known Nitish Kumar since 2004. However, after listening to the statement, I have lost respect for him. How can a person say something like this on the floor of the state Assembly?... Nitish Kumar after this statement seems like a gone case," Tiwari said.
The chief minister made the remarks while underlining the need for girls' education to check population growth.
In a video, Mr Kumar was heard saying that the state's fertility rate, which was earlier at 4.3 per cent, has dropped to 2.9 per cent, as per a report last year.
Meanwhile, after a row over his birth control remarks, the Bihar CM apologised for his remarks in the state Assembly on the role of women in population growth.
"I apologise and I take back my words...," Mr Kumar told reporters after BJP legislators did not allow him to enter the legislative assembly.
Defending Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said it was wrong to misinterpret the chief minister's remarks as he was only talking about sex education.
"It is wrong if someone misinterprets it. The Chief Minister's remarks pertained to sex education. People are often hesitant when it comes to sex education. It is now being taught in schools just as other subjects are. Children are learning about it. He only said what should be done to control the population. His words should be taken in their proper sense," Mr Yadav said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)