The former Union minister said the population debate is "utterly misplaced" and half a century out-of-date as a large majority of Indian states have achieved replacement levels of fertility. Their motive is purely political and communal," he said when asked about the push for population control in UP and Assam. Tharoor's remarks come days after Uttar Pradesh's draft population control bill was made public and the Assam government proposed formulation of a policy in this regard. Also, some BJP MPs are set to introduce private members' bills on population control and uniform civil code in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, according to information from the secretariats of both Houses. Tharoor urged the government to have the courage to debate any issue the Opposition wishes to raise.

Source: Mint July 17, 2021 12:56 UTC