RSS chief wants population control policy, flags national security concerns

The much publicized meeting between Muslim intellectuals and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat seems to have had little bearing on the ground as the latter again chose to rake up the population imbalance narrative further while calling for a “comprehensive population control policy” to check it.

In his Dusshera message, Bhagwat cited “religion-based imbalance” and “forced conversions” – formulation directed at India’s Muslim minority – to “raise the spectre of the country breaking apart”. He went on to cite examples of East Timor, Kosovo and South Sudan which emerged as new countries “because of religious community-based imbalances’ ‘. He was categorical in his message, underscoring that “conversion by force and allurement” is the main reason for population imbalance.

Speaking at the annual Dussehra rally at Nagpur, he said, “Along with population control, balance on religious basis is also a matter of importance which cannot be ignored.”

Bhagwat’s controversial statement assumes significance in the wake of his recent visit to a Delhi mosque and a madrasa proceeded with a parley with five Muslim intellectuals.

Notably, former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi, former Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lt General (retd) Zamiruddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui and philanthropist Saeed Shervani had a meeting with Bhagwat last month to “bridge the gap between Hindus and Muslims.”

On the occasion, the former CEC also handed over his well-received book on India’s population, “The Population Myth”, which was highly appreciated and discussed across media and academia. In an interview with Karan Thapar, Quraishi reportedly said the RSS chief accepted that it’s both impossible for India’s Muslims to grow in size and dominate Hindus and that they do not seek to do so either. The RSS chief’s “accepting the argument” was different to what he had said in July 2021 that “organized attempts to increase the Muslim population since 1930 were being made to become a dominant force.”

“Population requires resources, or it becomes a burden. There is a view that population can be an asset. We need to work on a policy keeping both aspects in mind,” he said. He, however, also tried to become politically correct by invoking women’s health issues while advocating population control.

Meanwhile, the BJP’s government at the Centre didn’t agree with the idea of a population control law, even though it is proposed repeatedly by party members and RSS leaders. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Parliament that family planning and better healthcare have ensured stabilisation of the population after BJP’s coming to power.

“The total fertility rate has come down to around 2%… It tells us that the family planning mission is moving towards success,” the minister said. His reaction came when he nominated Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha’s Bill for such a law in April this year. Sinha later withdrew his Bill. Opposition members have said family planning should not be a matter of coercion.

Notably, the fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have — has decreased in India. According to the latest figure of the government, it is now 2.2 after the 2011 census, down from 5.9 in 1951. Experts say a rate of 2.1 can ensure a stable population.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM