Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra recently expressed disapproval of the state cabinet’s move to introduce legislation permitting individuals with more than two children to run for elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities. He accused the government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of formulating laws under the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Dotasra made these remarks while addressing reporters in Jaipur.
According to Dotasra, the new legislation contradicts existing population control policies established by both the central and state governments over the years. During his statement, he referenced past efforts to address population issues, highlighting that population control laws have been proposed multiple times in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. He specifically cited a policy introduced under the regime of former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as a commendable initiative aimed at population management.
“For many years, both central and state governments have supported a population control policy,” Dotasra noted. “Now, it appears that decision-making is not guided by established policies but is instead dictated by the RSS. Prominent figures within the RSS, such as Mohan Bhagwat and spiritual leaders like Dhirendra Shastri, appear to influence which laws are enacted.” Dotasra further criticized the government for seemingly prioritizing the RSS’s interests, challenging both the Modi administration in Delhi and the Bihar government in Rajasthan.
Congress leader alleges inconsistency in government’s position on population control
The Congress leader pointed out the inconsistency in the government’s position on population control, questioning their policies. His remarks were partly a response to Mohan Bhagwat’s prior statement, made during an RSS gathering, which advocated for families to aspire to have three children. In that context, Bhagwat had articulated that India’s fertility policy suggests a target of 2.1 children, interpreting this as a recommendation for families to aim for three children.
In a formal announcement earlier, the Rajasthan Cabinet, under Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, revealed plans to implement the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. This legislative proposal is designed to allow individuals with more than two children to contest elections for both Panchayati Raj institutions and local municipalities, as stated in a press release.
During a press briefing following the cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa, along with Industry and Commerce Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, outlined the amendments to Section 19 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009. They elaborated that the previous restriction on electoral candidacy for individuals with more than two children was instituted due to concerns regarding population growth.
The ministers noted that the fertility rate in Rajasthan had significantly decreased from 3.6 during the years 1991-1994 to the current rate of two. They indicated that the relevance of the earlier provisions restricting candidacy has lessened and emphasized the need for policy reform in light of these demographic changes.