On Population Control, Shiv Sena Targets A Section Of Muslims

A section of the Muslim community "does not understand the importance of curbing population", BJP ally Shiv Sena alleged on Friday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day speech that "family planning is true patriotism".

In an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, "Saamana", Shiv Sena supported PM Modi's push for population control. The party also alleged in the article that "fundamentalist Muslims are not concerned about population explosion and are not ready to come out of the mindset of hum do humare pacchis (we two, our 25 children)."

On Thursday, PM Modi, while addressing the nation on the 73rd Independence Day, stressed on the "need to have greater discussion and awareness on population explosion."

"There is a vigilant section of public which stops to think before bringing a child to the world, whether they can do justice to the child, give them all that she or he wants. They deserve respect. What they are doing is an act of patriotism. Let us learn from them," he said in his 92-minute speech.

Endorsing the speech, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said: "The NDA government under PM Modi is supporting our party's policies." 

"Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray always advocated the need for population control," he added.

In its editorial, the party also said that PM Modi "will solve the issue of population explosion and (implement) the one-nation-one-election'' concept.

PM Modi's Independence Day speech was also hailed by Congress leader P Chidambaram. "All of us must welcome three announcements made by the Prime Minister on I-Day. Small family is a patriotic duty, respect wealth creators and shun single-use plastic," he on Friday said in a series of tweets.

However, AIMIM chief Asaddudin Owaisi raised an objection against the speech and said that PM modi is coming "with discarded & intrusive ideas of governance that shrink his own responsibility". 

"Majority of India is young & productive, but this advantage will only last till 2040 @PMOIndia is clueless about what how to utilise this advantage, so he's coming up with discarded & intrusive ideas of governance that shirk his own responsibility (sic)," he tweeted soon after PM Modi's address on Thursday.