RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over India’s declining population growth, stating that the country’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) should be at least 3, far above the current rate of 2.1, which is considered the replacement rate. Speaking at the ‘Kathale Kul (clan) Sammelan’ in Nagpur on Sunday, Bhagwat stressed the crucial role families play in society and warned that a fertility rate below 2.1 could lead to societal extinction.
“A declining population is a serious concern. Demographic studies suggest that when a society’s total fertility rate falls below 2.1, it risks facing extinction. This decline does not necessarily require external threats; a society can gradually fade away on its own,” Bhagwat said, as quoted by news agency PTI. He pointed out that many languages and cultures have already disappeared due to this issue, underlining the importance of maintaining a fertility rate above 2.1.
Emphasising the importance of the family unit, Bhagwat added, “Kutumb (family) is an integral part of society, and every family serves as a vital building block.” Referring to India’s population policy formulated in 1998 and 2002, he clarified that the target of 2.1 is a bare minimum and should be increased, at least to 3, as “population science says so.”
“Our country’s population policy, formulated either in 1998 or 2002, clearly says that the total fertility rate should not be below 2.1. Now when we say 2.1, it is not feasible to have children in fraction. So when we say 2.1, this means it should be more, at least three. The (population) science says so,” Bhagwat remarked, as per PTI.
According to data from the National Family Health Survey released in 2021, India’s TFR has declined from 2.2 to 2, while the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has risen from 54% to 67%. A TFR of 2.1 ensures the replacement of a woman and her partner upon death, stabilising the population.
‘RSS Members Should Start Marrying’: Owaisi Quips After Mohan Bhagwat’s Remark
In response to Bhagwat’s remarks, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi took a dig at the RSS chief. “PM Modi had earlier said that Muslim women produce more children,” Owaisi remarked, also referring to Modi’s comment about the Congress potentially redistributing gold, including ‘mangalsutras’, from mothers and daughters among Muslims.
“Bhagwat says produce more children. Now those in the RSS should start marrying,” Owaisi quipped, as per PTI.
Mohan Bhagwat’s remark comes after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called for increased births to counter the trend of aging population. His Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin had remarked about the same, albeit in the context of the proposed Delimitation exercise where it is feared that states having lower populations, particularly South India, will get to send fewer members of Parliament once the drive is completed.