Demographic imbalance in India needs more attention than population control, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Bhagwat concluded that there is no option but to ensure oneness among different religions and communities. He said all religions try to take us to the truth, with different paths but the same destination, and warned that without harmony among communities, the nation risks destruction.

He emphasised the need to support inter-caste marriages, recalling a 1942 inter-caste marriage in Maharashtra that received congratulatory messages from B. R. Ambedkar and M. S. Golwarkar, and stating that Guruji was happy for setting an example that there is no caste.

Responding to a question on preventing caste-based vote banks, Bhagwat said politicians will use caste as a legitimate endeavour to gain votes as long as society remembers caste, and advised not to blame the politicians while noting the societal role.

On a query about the Common/Uniform Civil Code, Bhagwat referred to its introduction in a few states, including Uttarakhand, and expressed optimism that the Uniform Civil Code will gradually be implemented across India. He said progress moves slowly in democracy and is not decided by one person but by 142 crore people.

He recalled the efforts to control population by force during the Emergency, and noted the defeat of the then government. He suggested that the present government may be averse to such a direct form of population control.

Bhagwat referred to India’s National Population Policy aiming to stabilise population growth by achieving a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1, and claimed the present TFR of 2.1 is 'nothing but 3'. He emphasised the need for the government to create awareness of the policy and to implement it without discrimination.

During his talk on Social Harmony as a Catalyst of National Development as part of JSS Mahavidyapeetha’s Golden Jubilee lecture series at Suttur Mutt in Mysuru, Mohan Bhagwat said demographic imbalance in India needs more urgent attention than population control. He described India as a nation of young fellows who will become old fellows in the next 30 years, and asked who will feed them and how many hands will be required. He noted that considering these factors, including the condition of women and their health, a policy should be prescribed and that the government should think about the next 100 years.