India’s state cabinet minister, Pandit Vishnu Rajoria has announced a ‘reward’ of ₹1 lakh (PKR 3.2 lakh) for Brahmin couples choosing to have ‘at least’ four children.
He said, “I have high hopes from the youngsters. We can’t expect much from the older people. Listen carefully, you are responsible for the protection of the future generation. Youngsters get settled and stop after one child. This is very problematic. I urge you to have at least four.”
He said it was important for Brahmin couples to have four children to “protect Sanatana Dharma”.
The remarks have sparked outrage with some urging the official to ‘reconsider’ his comments. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has distanced itself from the statement and deemed it his ‘personal opinion’ while Congress leaders reiterated the problems associated with population growth.
In 2022, India overtook China as the country with the largest population in the world, and now has more than 1.45 billion people. China now has the second-largest population in the world, still with just over 1.4 billion inhabitants, however its population went into decline in 2023.
It is estimated that India’s population will peak at 1.65 billion people in 2060, following which growth will begin to decrease.
