RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Advocates for Three-Child Families to Counter Population Decline

Bhagwat warns that India's declining fertility rate poses risks to societal survival, sparking political and public discourse.

Mohan Bhagwat, head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), expressed concern over India's declining Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which has dropped from 2.2 to 2, below the replacement level of 2.1.
Bhagwat urged couples to have at least three children, citing demographic studies that warn societies with low fertility rates face extinction risks over time.
He emphasized the importance of family ('kutumb') as a societal cornerstone and linked population decline to cultural and linguistic erosion.
Critics, including opposition leaders Asaduddin Owaisi and Renuka Chowdhury, questioned the feasibility of Bhagwat's suggestion, citing economic challenges like unemployment and rising living costs.
Bhagwat's remarks have reignited debates over India's population policies, with some pointing out contradictions between RSS advocacy for larger families and government campaigns promoting population control.