Lucknow, Jan. 7 (PTI): The Election Commission has sought a report from the Meerut district administration regarding BJP lawmaker Sakshi Maharaj’s statement allegedly blaming Muslims for the population growth.

Sakshi, who represents Unnao in the Lok Sabha, had sparked a controversy in election-bound Uttar Pradesh on Friday by blaming India’s population boom pn Muslims – without naming the community.

”Those with four wives and 40 children are responsible for the population increase in the country. Hindus are not responsible for the increase in population,” he had said at a gathering of sants at the Augharnath Temple in Meerut.

The Bharatiya Janata Party washed its hands off the controversy, with Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asserting that such views are neither of the BJP or the government.

“I haven't seen his statement, but we believe in taking everyone along...Country runs on law, on Constitution, it does not run with stick,” Naqvi said. ”Such statements or views...are not of either BJP or government. We have nothing to do with such statements,” Naqvi said.

Opposition parties pounced on the comment and said they would complain to the Election Commission.

Congress leader K.C. Mittal said Sakshi Maharaj's speech is ”offensive” as it is based on caste and religion and goes against the recent Supreme Court judgement. ”It is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and Congress is officially filing a complaint against him in the Election Commission,” he said.

The Janata Dal (United) leader K.C. Tyagi termed the comments as the first major violation of the Supreme Court guidelines outlined on Monday on use of religion in politics.

”Recently the Supreme Court and the Chief Election Commission laid down some guidelines for model code of conduct, including not to use religion, caste and language. This is the first major violation by a major political party that is BJP, by its MP,” Tyagi said. He said the party as well as the Election Commission must act against Sakshi Maharaj.

An unfazed Sakshi made it clear on Saturday that he had not speaking at a BJP event.

”We should respect women and I had said that she is not a machine, that is why 40 wives, 40 kids and triple talaq are no longer tolerable. We need to take a decision whether we should have one, two, three or four kids. But we need to take a decision on this,” he said.

”I had said that the population of India is approx 132 crore. India's landmass is not increasing but our population keeps on increasing. We need to control this menace,” Sakshi said Saturday.