Even a 15-year-old girl can reproduce: MP Congress MLA

Targeting Madhya Pradesh ChiefMinister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over his demand for a debate onparity in the legal age of marriage for both the sexes, formerCongress minister Sajjan Singh Verma on Wednesday said even a15-year-old girl is capable of reproduction, drawing a sharpreaction from the BJP which demanded his apology.As Vermas remarks caused uproar, the Congress saidthe BJP was bent on making an issue out of nothing.15 saal ke baad hi bacchi prajnan yogya ho jati haiaisa doctors kahte hai Doctors say a girl becomes capable ofreproduction after she becomes 15-years-old.

Targeting Madhya Pradesh ChiefMinister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over his demand for a debate onparity in the legal age of marriage for both the sexes, formerCongress minister Sajjan Singh Verma on Wednesday said even a15-year-old girl is capable of reproduction, drawing a sharpreaction from the BJP which demanded his apology.

As Verma's remarks caused uproar, the Congress saidthe BJP was bent on making an issue out of nothing.

'''15 saal ke baad hi bacchi prajnan yogya ho jati haiaisa doctors kahte hai' (Doctors say a girl becomes capable ofreproduction after she becomes 15-years-old. Has he (CMChouhan) become a bigger doctor?'' Verma, a former AICCsecretary, asked while addressing reporters.

The former minister also accused the BJP government inthe state of ''failing to protect minor girls''.

''Madhya Pradesh tops in the number of rapes againstminors. Instead of taking strict action in such cases, thechief minister is playing politics full of hypocrisy,'' hesaid.

Verma was reacting to Chouhan's call for a debate onwhether a woman's current legal age for marriage (18 years) beraised at par with men (21 years).

Reacting to Verma's remarks, Madhya Pradesh BJP'smedia panelist Neha Bagga said the MLA had insulted daughtersof India.

''Did he forget that his party's president is a woman?Priyanka Gandhi is also a woman? I urge Sonia Gandhi to directVerma to apologise in public and sack him from the party,'' shesaid.

On the other hand, state Congress spokesman BhupendraGupta, who was present with Verma during the press conference,said the former minister was only referring to doctors in hiscomments.

''The BJP wanted to make an issue out of nothing. Vermahas only asked if the CM knows about any valid research behindhis demand for a debate on increasing the legal marriage ageof women to 21-years,'' Gupta said, adding that the CM makessuch demands only to hog limelight in media.