MORE BABIES OR FEWER? INDIA'S BIG POPULATION QUESTION

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat emphasizes maintaining a fertility rate above 2.1 to prevent societal decline, while policy contradictions and regional disparities hinder effective population management, risking demographic stagnation.

India's population growth and its management have been subjects of significant political, social, and economic debate. Recently, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat reignited discussions by urging Indian families to have at least three children to maintain societal survival. His remarks in Nagpur were grounded in demographic science, which suggests that societies with fertility rates below 2.1 risk extinction. Bhagwat emphasized that India must not let its fertility rate dip below this critical threshold.

"A decline in population is a matter of concern. Modern demographic studies indicate that when the population of a community falls below a fertility rate of 2.1, that society faces extinction," he said. He added that societies facing such declines "do not need external threats to vanish; they disappear on their own."

Bhagwat's statement has triggered a broader dialogue on population management, raising questions about India's demographic trajectory, the effectiveness of past policies, and the best way forward in addressing population-related challenges.

Mohan Bhagwat's remarks on the need for families to have at least three children sparked strong political reactions across the country, particularly in states like Bihar, where population policies and caste-based issues are politically charged. Opposition parties criticized Bhagwat’s stance, accusing the RSS and the ruling BJP of adopting contradictory narratives on population control.

In Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was quick to question the internal inconsistencies between the BJP’s population control advocacy and Bhagwat’s call for larger families. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari remarked, "Leaders of the BJP often speak about population control, and now the RSS chief is advocating for more children. The BJP and RSS should first resolve their own contradictions."