Hindu youths should pledge to have 2 or 3 children to check 'population imbalance': VHP

Prayagraj: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Friday asked Hindu youths to address the issue of "population imbalance", saying the population of the community will continue to decline at the current birth rate.

Expressing concern over "families breaking up", VHP Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain said it creates insecurity among children and the elderly and stressed the importance of families following "Hindu traditions" to avoid such situations.

"In today's meeting, the slogan 'return to the roots' was given," Jain told reporters after the three-day meeting of the VHP's central board of Trustees began here at the VHP camp in Mahakumbh Nagar.

He said the issue of population imbalance is related to youths and they should pledge to have two or three children.

"The VHP has made this call to the youth on a scientific basis. AIIMS and other institutions have found in their studies that only when there are two or three children in a family, there is a good possibility of the children's healthy development." "On the basis of this study, we have called upon the youth to take a pledge to have two or three children.

"The birth rate of Hindus is 1.9 per cent. This means that the population of Hindus will continue to decrease. If this number decreases, not only the society but also the country will be in danger," Jain said.

"Due to the decrease in population, we have seen a part of this country separate and form Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan," he said.

Apart from this, families are breaking and this creates a situation of insecurity among children and the elderly, he said.

"To prevent the family from breaking, it is necessary that the family is run on the basis of Hindu traditions. In today's meeting, the slogan 'return towards the roots' was given, he said.

"We all know the consequences of not inculcating family values... society will move towards free pleasure (mukt bhog)," Jain said referring to the "rise" in live-in and extramarital relationships.

He said the issue of drug addiction was also discussed at the meeting.

"We have requested seers and teachers to spread awareness about these topics among the youths. The VHP has decided to spread awareness across the country through its 72,000 units, 27,000 satsangs, 52,000 Bajrang Dal committees, 25,000 Durga Vahini committees and 20,000 Sanskar centres," Jain said.