The RSS perspective: Bhagwat outlined an all-inclusive worldview

As Bhagwat pointed out, a new population policy is the need of the hour

Vijayadashami happens to be the foundation day of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Programmes to celebrate it are organised all over India. The main function and annual speech are held at the headquarters in Nagpur and addressed by the RSS chief. This has been uninterrupted since the Sangh formation, except for the ban periods. This speech is considered the guiding principle for the coming year for the followers and swayamsewaks (volunteers).

The current sarsanghchaalak (the chief of the RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, covered many issues in his speech on Wednesday. In his opening remark, he put to rest the discussion regarding women's participation in the Sangh, giving instances when women participated as chief guests in various Sangh programs. He spoke at length about the inner strength of our society and government actions about bringing changes. The Sangh works to strengthen and organise society. It believes that changes can only happen if the society acts collectively, the governments can only provide a conducive environment, but it is ultimately the society that has to transform itself. The government cannot effectively bring in change if society doesn't act.

Also Read | Wrong lens, wrong policy prescription

Bhagwat said, "Without the strong involvement of society, no noble work or transformation can be stable and successful; this has been a universal experience. A good system cannot be implemented if people are not prepared for it or if they do not accept it. The world over, all big and long-lasting transformations have been preceded by social awakening; thereafter, systemic and administrative changes have followed."

Another issue he spoke about was the inherited unity of our country's people, which is also reflected in our Constitution.

"Our Constitution engineered political and economic equality, but the real and stable transformation is impossible without social equity. Such a piece of cautionary advice was given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar," he said. He emphasised the need for common temples, water sources and cremation grounds. Sangh's approach toward the issue of untouchability in society has remained unchanged since its inception, as it debunks any caste discrimination. The second sarsangchalak, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar 'Shri Guru Ji', was instrumental in the formation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad. He brought all the Shankaracharyas on one platform and convinced them to issue a statement condemning untouchability. The third sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Balasaheb Deoras, while delivering his landmark speech during the Vasant vyakhyan mala in Pune in the 1970s, said, "Untouchability should go lock, stock and barrel."

Also Read | Appeasing a malignant deity

Bhagwat also applauded the role of society and various NGOs in providing jobs and livelihood for the displaced due to covid in their native districts by providing them with skill development that suits local needs, including agriculture. Another important point raised during Wednesday's speech was about the population and the need for a population policy. No country in the world has unlimited resources to feed the unchecked population growth. Giving the example of China, he cautioned against the imbalance caused due to implementation of faulty population policy. Now China has reversed its policy of 'one child' to maintain the population balance.

Similarly, we are the youngest country, with a population of around 57 crore youth. Fifty years later, these youth will become senior citizens, and the kind of health and other resources required need to be planned today. Land mass and other natural resources are limited and can't be increased. The last population policy formed in the year 2000 targeted a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1, and it has been successful in bringing it down to 2.0. The number of children is also linked with maternal health, education, environment and financial status. Nuclear families being formed are also posing challenges to the overall development of children. Families are facing a sense of insecurity, social tensions and loneliness. This, in turn, is affecting the family system of our society.

Our country also witnessed a division 75 years ago due to population imbalance. Population imbalances have also been instrumental in changing the globe. Three new countries, East Timor, South Sudan and Kosovo, have been formed. The RSS earlier passed a resolution in its Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM), its second-highest decision-making body, in 2004 and 2015 regarding the formulation of a population policy. A new population policy keeping all these points in view is the need of the hour.

According to author Arun Anand, the issue of religious demography has been discussed within the RSS for decades, and its views have evolved over the years. "This evolution can be broadly divided into two periods. The first was from 1947 to 2005, when the Sangh was focused on the threat posed by religious conversions of Hindus in India to Islam and Christianity."

"The second phase began in 2005 when the Chennai-based Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) published a report, Religious Demography of India. It analysed the Census 2001 data from the perspective of changing religious demography. The report pushed the debate on India's demography onto a bigger canvas, with the growth rate of the Muslim and Christian populations coming into focus. The data-based study of the population growth pattern of the previous 110 years predicted that "the adherents of Indic religions will become a minority in India by the year 2061," says Anand.

It is clear that the Sarsanghchalak carrying forward the unbroken tradition of Sangh for 97 years, has reiterated the all-inclusive worldview of the RSS and re-emphasising that it is the society that can transform itself, so we must act now and act collectively as a society to take Bharat forward to its well-deserved place as 'vishwa guru'.

(The writer is a columnist associated with the RSS.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.