UP minister asks Hindus to have three children

An Uttar Pradesh minister has advised Hindus to abandon the concept of "hum do, hamare do" and have "at least three children".

Sunil Bharala, chairman of the UP Labour Welfare Council and enjoys the status of a minister of state, said while speaking at a function that though the family planning concept allowed two children, most Hindu families go for only one child.

"Time has come for the Hindus to follow hum do, hamare teen," he said.

He also said that of the three children, there should be at least one girl.

"We lose many relations if there is no girl child in the family," he added.

Bharala, however, pointed out that it was his "personal opinion".

It is not the first time that Bharala had put his foot in his mouth.

Barely a few days ago, he had said that governments should organise 'yajna' (a Hindu ritual by fire) to please Lord Indra (the god of rain) to rid pollution.

While defending the farmers over the practice of stubble burning, which he claimed, had existed in ancient India, Bharala had said that "instead of targeting farmers, the governments should hold yajnas, which was a regular feature in our culture, to please Lord Indra... It will result in rain and the problem of pollution will be solved.''