Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said India’s demographic imbalance required more urgent attention than population control.
Responding to a question from an audience member after his lecture on ‘Social Harmony as a Catalyst for National Development’ at the JSS Mahavidyapeetha Golden Jubilee Lecture Series, at Suttur Mutt, Mysuru, on May 7, Mr. Bhagwat said that India today is a nation of “young people who will become the next 30 years”. “We have to think about feeding them. How many hands will it take (to feed them)?”
Considering these factors, including the status of women and their health, a policy should be prescribed. “We recommend that the government think of the next 100 years,” he said.
Referring to India’s national population policy aimed at stabilizing population growth by achieving a total fertility rate (TFR) or reproductive fertility level of 2.1, Mr Bhagwat argued that the current TFR of 2.1 was “nothing but 3” and stressed the need for the government to create awareness about the policy and ensure that it operates without discrimination.
Mr. Bhagwat recalled the government’s efforts to forcibly control the population during the Emergency and the subsequent defeat of the then government. He said the current government may be against such an idea of ”direct” population control.
However, he said population growth is not as much a priority for the government as demographic imbalance.
General Civil Code
On a question about the Common Civil Code, Mr. Bhagwat mentioned the introduction of the Act in several Indian states, including Uttarakhand, and expressed optimism that the Uniform Civil Code would be gradually implemented across India.
He said that one needs to be patient because things move slowly in a democracy. “This is not for one person to decide, but for 142 million people,” he said, reiterating his hope that a common civil code would come into force in India.
Responding to former BJP MLC Madhusudan’s question on measures needed to prevent political parties from creating caste-based vote banks, Mr. Bhagwat said politicians will use caste as a “legitimate effort” to win votes as long as society remembers caste.
“They (politicians) cannot get votes by working, but they can get votes by caste. If society forgets caste, then politics will correct itself. Don’t blame politicians,” he said.
In this context, Mr. Bhagwat emphasized the need to support individuals who enter into inter-caste marriages. Recalling that the inter-caste marriage in Maharashtra in 1942 received congratulatory messages from two prominent leaders – BR Ambedkar and the then sarsangchalak (chief) of the RSS MS Golwarkar, Mr Bhagwat said, “Guruji wrote that he was happy for the inter-caste marriage, not for fulfilling the desire of the caste society, but for not being an example to the society.”
To another question, Mr. Bhagwat said there was no other option but to ensure unity among different religions and communities.
“We must (achieve unity). It is not a question of whether we can (achieve unity). All religions are trying to bring us to the truth. The paths may be different but the goal is the same,” he said, before pointing out the need for religions to see that all their goals are the same.
“If there is no harmony between communities and religions,” Mr. Bhagwat warned, “we will destroy ourselves. We must lead by example and let the world follow.”
Published – May 7, 2026 1:49 PM IST
