Touching up on a sensitive subject in an oblique way, BJP’s lawmaker Sakshi Maharaj sought to link family planning to voting right. But his remarks seem controversial in the backdrop of Shiv Sena’s stand on Muslims and voting rights.

"When Hindus go for sterilisation, Muslims should also opt for it. There should be one law for everyone. There will be no appeasement of any section in our regime," he said in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh. He is local member of parliament.

"I don't say Muslims and Christians should be sterilised. But there should be family planning and a uniform law for all. When we talk of four-child issue, there is a lot of hue and cry, and when they have 40 children from four wives, no one says anything," he said.

Stressing that population growth was a major challenge before the country, he said the issue has to be addressed through family planning. However, the MP himself  was earlier at the centre of a controversy when he had asked Hindu women to have at least four children.

Sakshi’s remarks on voting rights denial come after Sena leader Sanjay Raut in an editorial in the party’s newspaper demanded scrapping of voting rights of Muslims, saying they are used as vote bank. "Balasaheb had once said withdraw Muslims voting rights. Owaisi brothers are doing politics of Muslim votes. They are threat to the nation," wrote Raut in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Asked about Raut's statement, Sakshi Maharaj said he had not gone through his statement.