Remarks at a State-level function stoke controversy

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has stoked a controversy with a remark that people are saying they will bring girls from Kashmir for marriage after abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution.

The Chief Minister was addressing a State-level function of Maharishi Bhagirath Jayanti Samaroh at Fatehabad.

Mr. Khattar, who was speaking on the success of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign in Haryana, said “Our Minister O.P. Dhankar used to say that he will have to bring daughters-in-law from Bihar. People nowadays have started saying the route to Kashmir is cleared and now we will bring girls from Kashmir,” said Mr. Khattar.

The Chief Minister said, “Haryana was infamous due to the low birth rate of daughters. The government launched Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, due to which the number of girls born per 1,000 boys has increased from 850 to 933. We have to take this number to 1,000.”