Mohan Bhagwat Expresses Concern Over Declining Population, Stresses the Need for Sustainable Growth

Nagpur, Maharashtra – Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat has raised concerns about the declining population in India, emphasizing the need to maintain a fertility rate above 2.1.

Speaking at an event, Bhagwat highlighted that any society with a fertility rate below this threshold risks eventual extinction, even without an immediate crisis.

“When a society’s fertility rate falls below 2.1, it faces the danger of disappearing, even in the absence of a crisis. Historically, many languages and societies have vanished for this very reason,” Bhagwat warned.

He further pointed out that India’s population policy, established in 1998 or 2002, included the critical principle that the fertility rate should not dip below 2.1. According to Bhagwat, the future of India’s population depends on maintaining a growth rate that ensures the survival and prosperity of society.

“We need more than two or three children per family,” he emphasized, underscoring the consensus in population science on this matter. Bhagwat's comments come amid ongoing debates in India about population control and sustainable development, as the country continues to experience significant demographic changes. His remarks reflect a broader concern about ensuring the balance necessary for long-term societal stability.