Stringent population control laws with punitive measures to curb population growth and writing of all 22 official languages in Devanagari script were some of the suggestions made by BJP members in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh, Harnath Singh Yadav and Shiv Pratap Shukla, made these recommendations while speaking during Zero Hour.
Mr. Shukla said regional languages were keepers of Indian tradition and heritage but they remain hidden as the larger populace had no access to it. “Out of all languages, Hindi is spoken and understood in every corner of the country. So I suggest that all 22 official languages must be written in Devanagari script,” Mr. Shukla said, speaking in Hindi.
He argued that if the languages were available in Devanagari script then it could be understood by not only parliamentarians but also by everyone.
His comments were met with loud protests from MDMK member Vaiko.
Speaking on the need for a population control law, Mr. Yadav said that as per the 1951 census, India’s population was 36 crore, by 2011 it grew to 121 crore and by 2025 it was expected to be 150 crore. He blamed the population explosion for unemployment, food scarcity, malnutrition, poverty, agrarian crisis, and water scarcity. “We will not have water to drink. Currently each Indian has 1,525 cubic metres of water available, by 2025 this will be down to 1,060,” Mr. Yadav said.
For a ‘golden future’ of the country, the BJP MP said it was essential to rise above political, religious and casteist differences to bring in a strong law for population control. He said there should be a stringent two-child policy.
