Calling for formulation of a comprehensive national population policy which is applicable for all, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that population control and religion-based population balance is an important subject that can no longer be ignored.
“….the population policy has to be formulated considering all these factors mindfully. It should be applicable for all; public awareness campaigns will be required for creating a mindset of total observance of this policy. Only then rules pertaining to population control will yield results,” Bhagwat said while addressing the annual Vijayadashami rally in Nagpur.
“Population control and religion-based population balance is an important subject that can no longer be ignored,” he said and gave an international perspective.
“In the 21st century, the three new countries that have come into existence, East Timor, South Sudan and Kosovo – they have been the results of population imbalance in certain territories of Indonesia, Sudan and Serbia. Population imbalances lead to changes in geographical boundaries. Alongside the differences in birth rate, conversions by force, lure or greed and infiltration are also big reasons,” he said.
The statement of Bhagwat assumes significance as it comes just days after a group of Muslim intellectuals met him and held discussions on wide-ranging issues.
In May, when the BJP-led NDA government released the findings of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the data showed that the Muslim fertility rate has registered the sharpest ever decline over the past 20 years as compared to that of other religious groups, including Hindus. The fertility rate among Muslims dropped to 2.3 in 2019-20 from a high of 4.4 in 1992-93. Dwelling on the population explosion, Bhagwat said that in 2000, the Government of India after multi-stakeholder consultations had framed a population policy.
“One key goal was to obtain a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1. In 2022, the NFHS report, which comes out every five years, had been published. Due to social awareness and constructive co-operative efforts by the central and state governments the TFR has come down below the targeted 2.1 to 2.0. While we are continuously progressing on the front of public awareness and the goals of population control, two more questions are emerging for consideration,” Bhagwat said.
According to him, social scientists and mental health experts opine that ultra-nuclear families are posing challenges for the all-around development of young girls and boys, and families are feeling a sense of insecurity, social tensions, loneliness etc., presenting testing times and a question mark hangs over the ‘family system.’
Dwelling further, he said: “Nowadays there are two kinds of evaluation done on population. Populations require resources, if it keeps growing it becomes a big burden, perhaps an unbearable burden. Therefore, with the perspective of population control, plans are made. There is another dimension, in which population is considered an asset. Focus is on appropriate training and maximum usage. When we look at the world population one fact emerges. Only when we look at our country, thoughts may change.”
“Our national interest influences our thoughts on population matters. Today we are the youngest country. 50 years hence, today’s youth will be the future years’ senior citizens, to look after them what size should be our young population, this math we also have to do. With efforts, the people make a country grand, they also carry on their family line and that of society. To beget, preserve and protect a populace apart from being relevant for national identity and security, is a subject that touches some other facets also,” he said.
“The number of children is linked with maternal health, education, financial status and individual wish. It is also dependent on what each family needs. Population impacts the environment also,” Bhagwat said.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks