The Vital Statistics Report 2022, released by the Civil Registration System (CRS) under the Office of the Registrar General of India, has raised alarm over Bihar’s worsening sex ratio at birth—just 891 girls for every 1,000 boys, the lowest in the country.
The findings triggered a sharp political response, particularly from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who took to social media platform X on Monday to slam the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-BJP coalition government, calling the trend “a reflection of government negligence and deep-rooted social bias.”
“What is happening that the number of girls among children born is continuously falling?” she questioned in her post, denouncing the so-called ‘double-engine government’ as “dangerous for women.”
She added:
“On the one hand, we are witnessing brutal crimes against women, and on the other, Bihar reports the worst sex ratio in the country. This is not a coincidence—it’s systemic failure. If daughters are not welcomed at birth, then all slogans of women’s empowerment are meaningless.” Gandhi framed the issue not only as a gender rights concern but as a societal crisis, saying: “This is not just about gender imbalance. It’s about whether we can build a civilised and prosperous society.”
A Worrying Decline
The CRS data paints a stark picture of steady decline in Bihar’s sex ratio at birth:
- 2020: 964 girls per 1,000 boys
- 2021: 908 girls
- 2022: 891 girls
This downward spiral reflects entrenched gender prejudice, despite multiple welfare schemes launched by both the state and central governments to promote the welfare of the girl child.
In contrast, several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttarakhand, have reported a rise in registered births. While southern and northern states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Delhi have seen marginal declines in birth rates, their gender ratios remain relatively stable. Nationally, the number of registered births rose from 242 lakh in 2021 to 254.4 lakh in 2022, while registered deaths dropped significantly from 102.2 lakh to 86.5 lakh.
Political Implications
The report lands amid an increasingly charged political atmosphere in Bihar, with Assembly elections looming. Women make up 47.6% of the electorate in Bihar (out of a total of 7.64 crore voters), and their turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was 50.4%, underscoring their growing political influence.
Yet, the latest statistics reveal a deep contradiction between rhetorical support for women during campaigns and systemic neglect when it comes to ensuring gender equity on the ground. As political parties court women voters ahead of elections, the declining sex ratio may well become a litmus test for genuine commitment to women’s welfare—beyond just electoral promises.
