RSS seeks population policy review

With the latest census data showing a rise in the Muslim population, the RSS on Saturday sought re-formulation of the country’s population policy, contending that there is a “problem of demographic imbalance” and “uneven” child ratio across the religions which need to be addressed.

The RSS, which deliberated upon the population issue at a meeting here and passed a resolution, said the religion data of Census 2011 highlighted the necessity for a review of the population policy formulated in 2000. Briefing the media on the deliberations, RSS sahsarkaryavah (joint secretary) Krishna Gopal said the resolution urged the Centre to re-formulate the National Population Policy keeping in view the availability of resources in the country, future needs and the “problem of demographic imbalance”.

Census 2011 had showed that the Muslim community had registered 0.8 per cent growth to touch 17.22 crore in the 10 years between 2001 and 2011, up from 13.8 crore, while the population of Hindus declined by 0.7 per cent to 96.63 crore during the period.

Quoting the RSS resolution, Mr Gopal said although India was one of the early countries in the world to announce, as early as 1952, that it will have population planning measures, it was only in 2000 that a comprehensive population policy was formulated and a population commission formed.

The policy, he said, aimed at achieving a stable but healthy population by 2045 by optimising the fertility rate to the ideal figure of 2.1 total fertility rate (TFR) and it was expected that it would be applied uniformly to all sections of society as this aim was in accordance with national resources and expected future requirements.

However, the National Fertility & Health Survey of 2005-06 and the 0-6 age group population percentage data of religion in Census 2011 indicate that TFR and child ratio are “uneven across religions”, he said. Referring to the Northeast, the RSS termed the “religious imbalance” of population there as serious.