New Delhi: Television has one great benefit above all... if electricity reaches every village people will watch television late into the night and will have no time to produce babies. I would believe 80% of birth control will be taken care of by television.
This was new Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday with the UPA's population control agenda. If marriage can't be delayed, television is the best contraceptive. But for the man in the far-off village still awaiting bijli, the minister has this:
"Irrespective of caste, creed or religion everyone has to exercise control of the family size and all birth control measures will be made available by the govt."
Can the state and religion come together on issues like birth control? While the health minister advises people across religions to adopt family planning measures, it touches a raw nerve with religious leaders.
Says Rev Dr Dominic Emmanuel, spokesperson & director, Delhi Catholic Archdiocese: "Ministry is free to advise what it wants...the churh does not accept contraceptives but do advise natural planning."
In Lucknow, Maulana Khalid Rashid, member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board said: "Islam does not allow family planning. And there are enough resources in the country. They need to be used well and there will be enough for everyone."
As India's ever rising population negates the benefits of development, the minister's clearly thinking out of the box. But will the people of India agree?