RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat stresses Hindu unity, calls for three-child families

Speaking at a Saraswati Shishu Mandir event, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat highlighted concerns over declining Hindu population, advocating that families consider having at least three children. | Photo Credit: ANI

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday called for uniting and empowering the Hindu society, saying there is no threat but vigilance is necessary, and suggested that Hindu families should consider having at least three children.

He also said that infiltrators should be “detected, deleted and deported”.

Protecting Hindu population

Addressing a social-harmony meeting at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir here, Bhagwat expressed concern over what he described as a declining Hindu population and said inducement- or coercion-based religious conversions should be stopped.

He also emphasised accelerating efforts to bring people back to the Hindu-fold and ensuring their welfare.

“There is a need to unite and empower Hindus. There is no threat to us but vigilance is necessary,” the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief said.

Encouraging larger families

Raising concerns over infiltration, Bhagwat said infiltrators should be “detected, deleted and deported”, and should not be provided employment. He also said Hindu families should consider having at least three children, citing scientific opinions that societies with an average fertility rate of below three could disappear in the future.

Bhagat said newly-married couples should be made aware of this and added that the purpose of marriage is to carry forward creation, not merely fulfilling one’s own desires.

Harmony over conflict

He said a lack of harmony leads to discrimination and stressed that all citizens share one country and one motherland.

“The Sanatan thought is a philosophy of harmony,” Bhagwat said, adding that differences that have emerged over time must be addressed through understanding and practice.

Respecting women power

The RSS chief described “matrushakti” (women power) as the foundation of the household, saying women should not be seen as weak and should receive training in self-defence.

He said the Indian tradition accords women a revered place and values nurturing qualities over physical appearance.

Law and constitutional ways

Responding to a question on University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, Bhagwat said laws must be obeyed and if a law is flawed, there are constitutional ways to change it.

He said caste divisions should not become a cause of conflict and called for uplifting the disadvantaged with a sense of belonging.

India guiding the world

Bhagwat said India would guide the world in the near future and that solutions to many global problems lie within the country’s civilisational ethos.

He said regular community-level meetings should promote social harmony, remove misconceptions and address social issues, while extending support to the weaker sections of the society.

The RSS chief cautioned that some elements in the United States and China are working against India’s social harmony, and called for vigilance and mutual trust.

Inclusive religious spaces

Addressing another programme at the Madhav Sabhaghar of the Saraswati Vidya Mandir here, Bhagwat said temples, wells and cremation grounds should be open to all Hindus, without any discrimination.

He said children must be taught that a career is not merely about earning more or consumption, but about sharing and serving others.

Nation above self

The RSS chief urged families to impart values that place the country above everything else and encourage the earning of knowledge and wealth for the nation’s benefit.

Emphasising social harmony, he said efforts must begin at the individual and family levels through greater mutual interaction, adding that harmony comes through practice rather than speeches and that caste distinctions should have no place in the society.

Bhagat said the family and not an individual is the basic unit of the society and that social conduct is shaped within it. He also stressed the importance of mother-tongue proficiency, patriotism, integrity, discipline and family pride.

Extending warm social bonds

The RSS chief called for reaching out to those sections of the society that are not close to the organisation and for the development of warm social bonds, extending from public spaces to families.

On technology, he said it cannot be stopped but must be used with discipline, such as limits on viewing time, and that the younger generation should be made aware of the potential harms of excessive exposure to artificial intelligence (AI), television, mobile phones and films.

Published on February 18, 2026