Owaisi Critiques BJP Leader's Controversial Comments on Population Growth
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has taken aim at BJP's Navneet Rana for her controversial comments advocating for larger families to prevent demographic changes. During a rally in Maharashtra, Owaisi questioned why Rana, who suggested having four children, doesn't aim for more. He also referenced statements from other political figures promoting larger families. Rana's remarks about population growth have ignited a political firestorm, prompting responses from various political leaders, including Congress MP Manickam Tagore, who criticized the irrationality of such views. This ongoing debate highlights the complexities surrounding population policies in India.
| Jan 6, 2026, 09:05 IST
Owaisi Responds to Population Growth Remarks
Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of AIMIM, has criticized BJP's Navneet Rana for her controversial statement suggesting that having four children is essential to prevent the country's demographic setup from resembling Pakistan. Without naming Rana, Owaisi pointed out that he has six children and questioned, "What stops you from having eight children?" During a rally in Akola, Maharashtra, he stated, "I have six children, and my beard is turning white. Someone said we should have four children. Why just four? Go ahead and have eight; who is stopping you?"
Owaisi also recalled statements made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who have advocated for larger families, noting that the TDP is part of the BJP-led government at the center. He challenged them, saying, "They are all advocating for more children. Why aren't you doing it now? I dare you to have 20 children. What kind of joke is this?"
Previously, Rana had claimed that some individuals have multiple wives and numerous children, contributing to population growth. To counter this, she urged Hindus to have "at least three to four children" to protect India. She stated, "I appeal to all Hindus. Listen, these people openly say they have four wives and 19 children. My suggestion is that we should have at least three to four children."
She further commented, "I don't know if he is a cleric or someone else, but he mentioned having 19 children and four wives, yet he couldn't fulfill the quorum for 30 children. They are planning to turn India into Pakistan by having a large number of children, so why should we be satisfied with just one child? We should also aim for three to four children."
These remarks have sparked a political controversy, with Congress MP Manickam Tagore calling for an end to such "irrational thinking" from the RSS and BJP. Tagore emphasized, "We should be scientific about numbers, not engage in superstitious or unscientific methods. The population growth in India is a concerning narrative... States that cannot stabilize their population are suffering... This kind of irrational thinking from RSS and BJP must come to an end."