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'Birth 3 Children Per Family': RSS Chief On Population, Demographic Changes, Conversions & ‘Akhand Bharat’
ABP Live News | August 28, 2025 10:11 PM CST

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday spoke extensively on issues ranging from India’s population policy to demographic imbalances, while underlining that cultural unity transcends religious differences.

“India’s policy on population suggests 2.1 children, which means three children in a family, as there is no 0.1 in children. Every citizen should see that there should be three children in his/her family,” Bhagwat said, as per news agency ANI.

"Population is both an asset and a potential burden. It needs to be managed carefully, which is why population policies are recommended. Ideally, families should have three children, but not more. This helps maintain balance and ensures proper development. While birth rates are declining overall, the decline is sharper among Hindus, whereas other communities’ growth has not decreased as much but their growth is also decreasing," he added.

Mohan Bhagwat On Demographic Changes

He also cautioned against demographic shifts. As reported by news agency IANS, Bhagwat remarked, “There is concern about demographics, and the reason is that demographic changes produce certain consequences. The partition of a country is one such result. I’m not only talking about India—this happened in Timor, Indonesia as well. All countries face concerns over demographic imbalance. But the real question arises about intent beyond numbers, which creates suspicion. The first point is about numbers. What causes imbalance in population? The primary reason is conversion, which is not part of Indian tradition.”

On infiltration, he added: “Secondly, regarding infiltration—yes, it’s true that our DNA is the same for everyone, but countries have systems. Even in Europe, there are 3–4 countries with the same ancestry, yet each country has its own system and borders…”

The RSS chief emphasised the shared cultural roots of Indians, irrespective of religion. “Why talk of Hindu-Muslim unity when all are same, we all are Indians,” Bhagwat noted, as per news agency PTI.

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat On ‘Akhand Bharat’

He asserted that “Akhand Bharat is a fact of life. We can see what happened after partition…We should realise our culture and ancestors are the same.”

“Keeping Akhand Bharat in mind is not only a political matter because when Akhand Bharat existed, there were many rulers here, even then a ruler needed permission to enter or travel… But the public of that land could move freely from north to south, east to west, live anywhere, earn their livelihood, and eat anywhere,” he asserted.

Speaking on inclusive traditions, he added, “All of us share the same syllabus in case of social merit based on Indian traditions and culture.”

‘Roads, Places Should Not Be Named After Invanders’: RSS Chief

He further clarified his stance on naming public places, stating: “The renaming of cities and roads should be based on the sentiments of the local people. They should not carry the names of invaders. The name should be changed according to people’s emotions... I am not saying they should not be named after Muslims. Dr. Abdul Kalam should be the name of a place. This is not about religion; it is about who is our inspiration.”

“Hindu thinking does not say Islam won’t be here,” he remarked.

RSS Chief On RSS–BJP Relationship

Bhagwat also addressed perceptions about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s influence over the BJP. “Humare yahan mat bhed ho sakta hai par mann bhed nahi hai…Does RSS decide everything? This is completely wrong. This cannot happen at all. I have been running the Sangh for many years, and they are running the government. Therefore, we can only give advice, not make a decision. If we were deciding, would it take so much time? We do not decide…” ANI quoted him as saying.

Dismissing suggestions that the RSS controls the BJP’s internal decisions, he said at the ‘RSS Centenary Lecture Series – 100 Years of Sangh’s Journey: New Horizons’ in Delhi: “This is completely wrong. This cannot happen.”

Drawing a comparison, Bhagwat explained, “I have been running the Shakha for 50 years. If someone gives me a suggestion, I will listen. But the party is running the country. They are experts in that. We (RSS) are not.”

He underlined that the organisation “only offers suggestions” and highlighted delays in BJP’s internal polls, including the choice of its next president, with a quip: “If we were deciding everything, would it have taken so much time? They should take their own time.”

Speaking on governance, Bhagwat noted that while the RSS coordinates with both central and state administrations, India’s inherited system presents contradictions. “Even if the man in the chair is 100 per cent for us, he has to work through hurdles. He may succeed or he may not. We give him independence. There is no quarrel anywhere.”

He stressed that occasional differences are natural. “Our swayamsevaks work honestly. We allow experiments, and if results are good, everyone accepts,” he said, adding: “We are not at loggerheads. We are trying to extract the truth, which includes struggle, but it does not mean quarrel.” 

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