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‘Marry early, have five kids’: BJP MP's advice to Hindus, cites birth rate of ‘other community’
Gajendra Singh Patel said, “Earlier generations would have four, five, six or even seven children. People used to marry at the age of 20, 21 or 22.”
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BJP national general secretary Gajendra Singh Patel has urged Hindu youth to marry early and have five children each, citing what he described as a difference in birth rates between Hindus and “another community”.
The Lok Sabha MP from Khargone-Barwani was addressing an event on Friday night when he said, “Today, people get married at 30 or 35, or even at 37, and have only one child. This is why the birth rate among Sanatanis is 1.9. Young people should get married and have five children each,” reported news agency PTI.
Drawing a contrast he added, “Earlier generations would have four, five, six or even seven children. People used to marry at the age of 20, 21 or 22.”
Patel said that he was not afraid of making such remarks because he was a "Sanatani". He claimed that the population share of one community had declined while that of another had increased since Independence.
'One Hindu child, three from other community'
The BJP leader's further went on to claim that out of four children born now, one was from the Hindu community and three were from the "other community".
“Out of four children (now), one was from the Hindu community and three from the other community. The situation was different between 1947 and 1967. But the population graph of one community has declined while that of the other has risen since Independence and the 2011 Census,” Patel said.
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Referring to birth rates, he said one community's share was 1.9 per cent while that of the other was 2.9 per cent.
He urged young people to understand the changing demographic situation and attributed the lower birth rate among Hindus to delayed marriages and smaller families.
'Sanatanis will come to each other's aid'
Although Congress MLA Rajan Mandloi represents the area, Patel said "Sanatanis" would come to each other's aid in difficult circumstances rather than relying on either the Congress or BJP.
Patel also called for greater promotion of gyms and traditional wrestling arenas, saying these could help strengthen society and families.
In part of his speech, he further spoke about the need for strength alongside devotion to the mother goddess and emphasised the possession of weapons.
Patel's '3D' campaign against DJ, drugs, dowry
The BJP leader also raised concerns over increasing drug use and what he described as a growing trend of ostentation among young people.
Referring to his '3D' campaign, Patel said society needed to recognise the seriousness of DJ, drugs and dowry.
"Nearly 100 per cent of young people dancing to DJs are 'Sanatanis' and 60 per cent of them dance under the influence of intoxicants," he said, urging people to recognise these trends and work towards strengthening society.
(With PTI inputs)
