Modi's comment on population control sparks war of words

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments on population explosion, while addressing the nation on 73rd Independence Day, sparked a row between the BJP and the Opposition. Modi said "planning a small family is an expression of patriotism", while also pressing its pertinence to prevent population explosion.

New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments on the population control sparked a war of words between the BJP and the Opposition on Friday.

Modi, while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 73rd Independence Day, had said that "planning a small family is an expression of patriotism", while also pressing its pertinence to prevent a population explosion.

Reacting on the prime minister's comment, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the former has come up with a discarded and intrusive idea of governance.

"Majority of India is young and productive, but this advantage will only last till 2040. PM is clueless about how to utilise this advantage, so he is coming up with discarded and intrusive ideas of governance that shirk his own responsibility," he tweeted from his official Twitter account.

Slamming Owaisi for being presumptive, Telangana's BJP chief spokesperson K Krishna Saagar Rao urged the former to not take Prime Minister's comments personally.

"How is it intrusive? That is what national leaders should be doing -- guide and lead. It is advisable in the larger national interest and is delivered by the most competent prime minister of our time," Rao said, continuing his tirade against the AIMIM leader.

He further clarified that Modi was not referring to the "productive young people", but those who are increasingly becoming a "liability" and are "dependent" on the government for their survival.

Echoing views of the BJP leader, Congress spokesperson Shravan Dasoju called Owaisi's views lopsided.

"Everything is not required to be viewed from a religious point of view. In India, what we need is not the quantity but quality of the population in order to transform it into a superpower," said Dasoju.