India’s total fertility rate (TFR) should be at least 3, which is much higher than the replacement rate of 2.1%, according to RSS president Mohan Bhagwat, who voiced alarm over the slowing population increase.
Speaking at the ‘Kathale Kul (clan) Sammelan’ in Nagpur, Bhagwat stressed the value of families and warned that a society may be in danger of going extinct if its fertility rate drops below 2.1, according to population science, according to the news agency.
“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.
“Many languages and cultures have already disappeared due to this issue. Thus, it is essential to maintain a fertility rate above 2.1,” Bhagwat said. He emphasized that “kutumb” (family) is an integral part of society, and every family serves as a vital building bloc.
“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 said.
According to data from the 2021 National Family Health Survey, India’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) increased from 54% to 67%, while the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which measures the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime, has dropped from 2.2 to 2. A replacement rate of 2.1 is thought to be necessary to keep the population stable. This rate prevents any general population growth or decline by guaranteeing that a woman and her partner are replaced upon death.
AIMIM head and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi reacted to Bhagwat’s comments by stating, “PM Modi had previously stated that Muslim women bear more children.” He also cited Modi’s statements that the Congress would redistribute riches, including “mangalsutras,” from Muslim mothers and daughters if it were elected. Bhagwat advises having more children. Owaisi stated, “Those in the RSS should now begin getting married.”
