Ranchi: Welcoming All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) vice-president Moulana Sayed Kable Sadiq's readiness for deliberations on population control, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Sep 14, 2004) alleged the Congress and CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) were not ready for a constructive debate over the serious issue in the interest of the nation.

''Those who understand about population growth are worried. But the Congress and CPM are not ready for a debate,'' BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference in Ranchi.

Stating that he did not expect much from Laloo Prasad and Mulayam Singh on the issue either, Naidu expressed happiness over the Moulana's statement.

''We welcome his proposal. I am really happy over his initiative,'' he said adding more population meant more poverty.

The Moulana had yesterday said in Delhi that he had sent a proposal to the Board to have a deliberation on population control in the community. However, the AIMPLB spokesman said the Moulana's interest in deliberations were his personal opinion.

Calling on all Governments and religious leaders to think the seriousness of population growth as it directly affected socio-economic growth of the nation, Naidu said the BJP was not in favour of imposing anything on anybody.

''The Congress thinks BJP is committing a sin by raising such serious issues. But we are not saying to impose our decisions like it did in 1975,'' Naidu said, apparently referring to 'nasbandhi' during Emergency days.

Criticising the Congress for misinterpreting the BJP's concern over infiltration being one of the causes for increase in the population ratio, Naidu asked the so called secularists to shun vote bank politics and focus on education, economy and social uplift.

Calling for equal justice for women irrespective of religion, Naidu also preferred a debate on marriages, divorce, inheritance and property rights to do justice with the women.

Though over fifty years passed by, Naidu regretted, there was no debate on the uniform civil code.

''Without a debate over the uniform civil code, it is not easy to bring a law...Though Article 44 of the directive principles of State mentions about it. But I don't want to delve much into it,'' he added.

Commenting on the names chosen for various developmental schemes during Vajpayee regime, Naidu charged the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government with reversing some good schemes initiated by the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government.

''There are several schemes named after Nehru, Indira and Rajiv and Indira Awas Yojana is one of the programmes which we continued in our six years rule. But attempts are being made to reverse some of the schemes initiated by the previous NDA Government,'' Naidu alleged.