Not ready to take responsibility: RSS chief on live-in relations, family planning
Not ready to take responsibility: RSS chief on live-in relations, family planning
M.U.H
22/12/202522
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday questioned the idea of live-in relationships, saying people who opt for such arrangements are unwilling to take responsibility and that this approach weakens the family system, which he described as the foundation of society.
Speaking at an event in Kolkata, Bhagwat said marriage and family are not meant only for physical companionship but serve a larger social purpose.
"Regarding the concept of live-in relationships. You're not ready to take responsibility. This isn't right. The family, marriage, is not just a means of physical satisfaction. It's a unit of society. The family is where an individual learns how to live in society. People's values come from there," RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat also weighed in on the population debate, saying decisions on the number of children should rest with families, couples and society, not rigid formulas.
Citing inputs he said he received from doctors, psychologists and demographers, Bhagwat claimed early marriages between the ages of 19 and 25 and having three children were associated with better health outcomes and social balance.
"I've gained some knowledge by talking to doctors, etc and they say that if marriage takes place early, between 19-25 years of age, and there are three children, then the health of the parents and children remains good. Psychologists say that having three children helps people learn ego management. Then demographers say that if the birth rate falls below three, the population is declining, and if it goes below 2.1, it's dangerous," the RSS chief said.
Bhagwat noted that India’s current fertility rate is around 2.1 largely due to Bihar, adding that several states are already below that level. Clarifying that he was sharing second-hand information, Bhagwat said he was unmarried and not an expert on family planning.
"Currently, we are at 2.1 only because of Bihar; otherwise, our rate is 1.9...That's the information I've received. I am a preacher, unmarried. I don't know anything about this matter. I've told you based on the information I received," he said.
On population policy, the RSS chief said India had failed to manage its population effectively, describing it as both a burden and an asset.
"We haven't managed the population effectively. Population is a burden, but it's also an asset... We should make a policy based on a 50-year projection, taking into account our country's environment, infrastructure, facilities, the status of women, their health, and the needs of the country," he added.
