Every Hindu should have four children

What is the most discussed topic in the country today? Hinduism, Hindutva, Sanatana Dharma—these are the issues dominating public debate. Some political leaders, religious leaders, and RSS functionaries have been expressing concern that the Hindu population in the country is gradually declining. They argue that if one looks at population ratios over time, the percentage of Hindus is decreasing and that this is dangerous.

The RSS has been warning people about this issue for quite some time. BJP leaders also repeatedly raise the same point. Meanwhile, some leaders argue in Parliament that the South is losing its importance and that there is a risk of a reduction in the number of parliamentary constituencies in South India. Hence, leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Stalin have suggested that people should have more children.

Whether from a religious or political perspective, everyone seems to be saying the same thing: people should have more children. Recently, BJP MP Navneet Rana (earlier known as Navneet Kaur) also said that Hindus should have more children while speaking to the media. Navneet Rana is the MP from Amravati in Maharashtra. She is well known to Telugu film audiences, having acted as a heroine in a few Telugu movies.

She later entered politics, initially contesting as an independent candidate and winning from Amravati, before joining the BJP. She speaks Telugu fluently and has even spoken in Telugu in Parliament on a few occasions. As a BJP MP, she expressed concern that the Hindu population is declining and said that Hindus should give birth to at least three or four children.

She stated that certain conspiracies aimed at turning Hindustan into Pakistan by producing more children must be defeated. She said, “I have only one appeal to all Hindus. Some people openly tell me that they have four wives and 19 children. We too should give birth to at least three or four children. I don’t know whether he is a Maulana or someone else, but he told me that he has four wives and 19 children. They are trying to turn Hindustan into Pakistan by having more children. In such a situation, why should we restrict ourselves to just one child? We too should have three or four children. This is not a religious issue; it is part of a political strategy.”

Navneet Rana’s remarks have triggered a political storm. Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and other opposition parties strongly condemned her statements, calling them irresponsible and divisive. Congress MP Manickam Tagore described the remarks as a “crazy idea” and stressed the need for a scientific approach to population control.

So far, there has been no official response from the BJP leadership on her comments. India’s official census process is yet to be conducted. However, according to various government reports and estimates by international organizations, India’s population in 2025 is estimated to be around 145–146 crore.

Of this, Hindus are estimated to be around 100 crore (approximately 77–79 percent), while Muslims are estimated to be around 20–21 crore (approximately 14–15 percent). Looking at population growth trends from 1951 to 2011 reveals some key facts. In 1951, Hindus constituted 84.1 percent of the population, while Muslims accounted for only 9.8 percent.

By 1991, the Hindu population declined to 81.5 percent, while the Muslim population increased to 12.1 percent. By 2011, Hindus further declined to 79.8 percent, whereas Muslims rose sharply to 14.2 percent. This means that from 1951 to 2011, the Hindu population decreased by about 4.3 percent, while the Muslim population increased by about 4.4 percent.

Globally, after Indonesia and Pakistan, India has the third-largest Muslim population in the world. State-wise and Union Territory-wise, Lakshadweep (96.58%) and Jammu & Kashmir (68.31%) have Muslim majorities. Muslims are also present in large numbers in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar.

Compared to Hindus, polygamy is more prevalent among Muslims, and family planning is not followed strictly, which is cited as a reason for their increasing population. In contrast, the Hindu population is gradually declining.

It is important to note that due to COVID-19, the census was not conducted in 2021. Therefore, the process is expected to begin in 2025. Only after the completion of this process will official population figures be available.