Madhuri Jain Grover, who was recently eliminated from Netflix’s Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, has defended her controversial statement suggesting that wealthy families having more children would increase prosperity, while poor families having more children would increase poverty.
Speaking on a podcast after her exit from the reality show, Madhuri stood by her remarks despite facing criticism online. During the conversation, actor Tejasswi Prakash questioned her views and pointed out that many people found her comments insensitive.
Madhuri Says She Never Asked Anyone To Stop Having Children
Responding to the criticism, Madhuri said her statement had been misunderstood.
“I never stopped anyone from having children. In fact, the problem in today’s generation is that they don’t want to have children,” she said.
According to her, the discussion was never about restricting people from starting families. Instead, she said she was expressing her personal opinion on population and economic growth.
Debate Over Who Drives The Economy
The discussion became more intense when Tejasswi Prakash argued that people from all sections of society, including the poor, contribute to the country’s progress.
However, Madhuri questioned that viewpoint.
“It’s great that the poor are also running the country. But do you really think that the country is actually run by the poor? Who is actually running the country?” she asked.
She further argued that business owners and entrepreneurs play a major role in creating jobs.
“Who are the ones giving employment to the rest of society?” Madhuri said, explaining that employers and wealth creators have a significant impact on the economy.
Responds To Social Media Criticism
Madhuri also addressed the criticism she received on social media following her comments.
She claimed that many people had taken her statement personally.
“People love playing victim on social media. ‘Arrey, you called us poor.’ If you believe you are poor, then you will feel poor,” she said.
Her remarks have continued to divide opinion, with some supporting her right to express her views while others calling the comments insensitive and overly simplistic.
How The Controversy Started
The controversy began during the first judgement day episode of Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa.
Madhuri revealed that she and her husband, former BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, had once planned to have a third child. However, they eventually decided against it after family members advised them that two children were enough.
“We wanted to have a third child, but we got influenced by our family’s circumstances,” she said.
She added that Ashneer’s mother believed two children were sufficient and that, by the time they reconsidered the decision, it was too late.
The Statement That Sparked Debate
While sharing her personal experience, Madhuri made the remark that quickly went viral.
“If rich people have more kids, wealth will increase, and if poor people have more kids, poverty will increase,” she said.
After leaving the show, she was again asked about the statement. However, she chose not to withdraw it.
Instead, Madhuri repeated that her point was based on her belief that entrepreneurs, employers and business owners contribute more directly to economic growth by creating jobs and generating wealth.
Her comments continue to spark debate online, with discussions focusing on economic inequality, family planning and the role of different sections of society in building the country’s economy.