Population growth worries BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday called for a national debate on population explosion, including encouraging a two-child norm, to achieve population stabilisation in the wake of new religion-based census figures.

Briefing reporters on the BJP central office-bearers' meeting in Delhi, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said, "These figures have raised some concern."

He said they were worrying because of the national target to reach population stabilisation by 2026.

"It is regrettable that instead of being concerned and alarmed at the population explosion, pseudo secular political parties are concerned at those who are expressing concern at this," Jaitley said.

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The national debate, he said, must encompass incentives and disincentives that were necessary to encourage two-child norm, which would lead to greater population stabilisation.

Political parties should leave aside the 'vote bank politics' and join hands on this.

Asked why the BJP was worried about the new census figures, Jaitley said, "I don't think it is a matter of worry only for BJP. Population stabilisation is a national goal. Population explosion should be a national worry."

"All Indians should be worried. Some political parties are not expressing their worry entirely for reasons best known to them."

Earlier, speaking to reporters, party leader Sushma Swaraj said the high population growth rate was a national problem and it should not be looked at as a 'Hindu-Muslim issue'.

Another party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the BJP would launch a campaign 'as soon as possible' on the population issue.