NAGPUR: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat warned on Sunday that social groups with birth rates below 2.1 could face extinction, while highlighting the importance of maintaining population levels for the survival of communities and cultural identities.
Citing India’s population policy, he said it recommends a birth rate of not less than 2.1. “This means there needs to be at least three children,” he said. “The numbers are important because of the need to exist, no matter if it is good or bad. Analysis on other things can happen later.”
Population sciences indicate that any social group with a low birth rate eventually disappears from existence, he said. “This doesn’t occur due to external annihilation; it simply fades away even without encountering any catastrophe.”
Bhagwat also emphasised unity despite differences, drawing parallels to family dynamics. “There are differences even in a family, but the members share a common bond. Two brothers may not get along well, yet ultimately they stand united.”
Bhagwat underlined India’s inclusive cultural ethos: “Our culture accepts everyone. The world, which is witnessing such bitter conflict because of ego, fanaticism, and selfish interests, needs to emulate the culture.”
He stressed that discrimination on the basis of caste has no place in Indian religious scriptures.
On the origins of the term Hindu, Bhagwat said it was a later development. “When the scriptures were written, it was mentioned as Manav Dharma (religion of humanity). This is because we did not have the need to have a separate religion, for us, everyone is the same.”