Patna: In a break from the conventional position of the BJP on the need for a population control law, former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy said that there is no need for a law to check the country's population. The BJP veteran's statement comes at a time when India has surpassed China in terms of population, as per the latest UN population report.
Subramanian Swamy, who reached Patna Sunday said that it is not appropriate to impose a population control law on the country. "If the country's economic progress continues, the increase in population will not make any difference," he said.
Pointing out India's earlier attempts to control population, Swamy cited Indira Gandhi's sterilisation campaign. "Indira had tried before but she did not succeed," he said. "People need to work on this themselves, consciously. Our children have to take these steps forward and think about them," the senior BJP leader said.
Responding to CBI's summon to former Governor Satyapal Malik, Subrahmanyam Swamy called him 'brave' for disclosing the truth about the Pulwama attack in 2019 to the media. However, Swamy said that it should not be concluded that the CBI has summoned him for this reason. Satyapal Malik who has recently fallen out of favour from the BJP high command, revealed that the CRPF had asked the Home Ministry for airplanes for conveyance prior to the Pulwama terror attack. However, the Home Ministry denied their requests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when reminded of their mistake following the attack, even asked Malik to stay shut about it, he revealed.
Subramanian Swamy also said that he has sought time to meet Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. When asked if he thinks Nitish will be able to unite the opposition ahead of the 2024 General Elections, Swamy said that he is confident about him. Nitish Kumar has been his friend since the JP movement, he added. On Nitish's strategy to unite the opposition, the senior BJP leader said, "I will ask Nitish himself the answer to this question."
Reacting to the recent slogans raised in Uttar Pradesh in support of slain gangster Atiq Ahmed, Subramanian Swamy said that those who are raising such slogans should be allowed to do so because it does not affect anything. Swamy said that the law and order situation has been a lot better ever since the Yogi government has come to power. "The mafia is scared in Uttar Pradesh and people are now carefree," he said.
