BJP leader urges Modi to work to control India's population

Says, ignoring the problem of rising population will endanger the growth India achieved under Modi govt

Even as Hindutva hardliners like Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia pitch for Hindus producing more children, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Shanta Kumar on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come out with a population policy as burgeoning populace was creating problems like unemployment and pollution.

Kumar, a former Himachal Pradesh chief minister who had earlier joined seniors like L K Advani in attacking the party leadership, said India had achieved high growth and won global recognition under Modi but ignoring the problem of rising population will endanger that.

"There has already been much delay in solving this problem and any more delay will be deadly. There is no other option but to control population to deal with all these problems. The country has reposed a lot of faith in you. It seems to me that the history wants you to do this difficult but fundamental work of national importance. I humbly urge you to take an initiative to call a meeting of all political parties to evolve a consensus over national population policy," the Lok Sabha member said in a letter to Modi.

Citing figures of high unemployment, pollution, hunger and slums, he said these challenges could be tackled only by controlling population.

"Some problems of the country have acquired dangerous proportions. Increasing population is at the root of maximum problems. Every year India's population is increasing by the size of two countries. There has already been much delay in solving this problem and any more delay will be deadly. There is no other option but to control population to deal with all these problems. We will start benefiting from the decision in some years but the biggest benefit will be that the coming generations will not hold us responsible for not doing the national duty due to vote bank politics," he said.

The biggest worry, he said, is that the nation's politics has completely shut its eyes to this root problem in a way similar to a pigeon closing its eyes before a cat.

Agenda and manifesto of no political party mentions this dangerous problem, he said, noting that the population has increased to 127 crore from 35 crore since independence.

The 81-year-old leader said BJP received a historic mandate in the last Lok Sabha elections and the country put its trust in Modi.

"I think the fundamental problems of this country can be resolved under your leadership only," he said.

Besides thousands of people applying for a few vacancies, 11 out of 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India and 27 crore out of 82 crore hungry people in the world reside here, he said, adding that over 3 lakh farmers had committed suicide.