RSS official calls for scrutiny of India’s population and citizenship policies
RSS publicity chief Sunil Ambekar has argued that differences in marriage, education and family-size rules contributed to demographic disparities in India. Speaking at a book launch, he backed the Uniform Civil Code, NRC and CAA, and urged debate on population change outside partisan or communal framing.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh publicity chief Sunil Ambekar has called for closer examination of India’s population policies, marriage laws and citizenship rules, arguing that some legislation created demographic disparities between communities. Speaking at the launch of a book on secularism and changing population figures in New Delhi, Ambekar said laws introduced after independence treated communities differently over marriage. He argued that a rule allowing one group to have multiple spouses while penalising Hindus for the same conduct created an imbalance and that laws should apply equally to everyone.
Ambekar also criticised aspects of the education system and said the growth of minority institutions had contributed to a sense that certain sections of society should attend particular schools. He claimed this had become one route for religious conversions, although the source material provides no independent evidence for that claim. He questioned restrictions linked to family size in local elections, saying population control could be considered but that rules should not be applied unequally.
Ambekar said India had lacked a concrete population policy after independence and identified the first population commission as having been established in 2000 under the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His comments came days after Home Minister Amit Shah announced that a Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance would implement a Uniform Civil Code in 21 states by 2029. The UCC is intended to provide equal rights and justice, according to the source material.
Ambekar also backed the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act. He said these measures were needed to identify illegal entrants and provide citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries. He urged people to pursue grievances through legal channels and said incorrectly added names on electoral rolls should be identified.
He also called for discussion of demographic change without viewing the issue through what he described as solely secular or communal lenses.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.