RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat had said "nothing is stopping Hindus from having more children". (File)
Highlights
- Nothing is stopping Hindus from having more children: Bhagwat
- Bhagwat should first have 10 children and try to raise them: Kejriwal
- Mayawati, Lalu Yadav's party also criticise RSS chief's comment
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) put out a clarification today after its chief Mohan Bhagwat was derided by various political leaders for his comment questioning "what is stopping Hindus from having more children".
In a statement, RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya broke it down to three short pointers - "What Mr Bhagwat did not say - Hindus should produce more children. What he actually said - which law stops you from producing more children? What he intended to say - there should be a common law about population growth applicable to all."
Mr Bhagwat, 65, a bachelor like many others in the RSS, made the controversial comment at a meeting in Agra on Sunday.
"Which law says that the population of Hindus should not rise? What is stopping them when the population of others is rising? The issue is not related to the system. It is because the social environment is like this," the RSS chief said, addressing some 2,000 couples. He was responding to a question comparing the rates of growth of Hindus and Muslims in the country.
Mr Bhagwat, said the RSS, only repeated what the organization had decided at a workers' meet last year, that to tackle "severe demographic imbalances", the population policy should be redrafted.
The RSS is the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP and many in the organization have sworn off family life.
Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Before instigating Hindus, Mr Bhagwat should first have 10 children and try to raise them well."
Uttar Pradesh politician Mayawati questioned: "If Hindus begin having more children, will the BJP give them jobs?"
Bihar's Rashtriya Janata Dal, headed by Lalu Yadav who has nine children, also criticized Mr Bhagwat.
"Do they even realize that it is a matter of personal choice? Does it need somebody like Mr. Mohan Bhagwat to arrive from Nagpur and tell people how many children they should have? What kind of state are we evolving? What kind of national ethos are we setting?" RJD leader Manoj Jha told ANI.