Stoking yet another controversy, Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Shastri today 'advised' Hindus to have at least 3-4 children. Shastri, while speaking at an event at his Ashram, said two children must be spared to serve the nation and lord Rama. "While it's said that two children are enough (Bachche, 2 hi acche), but 1 child must be devoted in service of Lord Rama. Teach him to work for the nation in his childhood only," Shastri was quoted as saying by Zee Salaam. "We are also only 2 siblings, our father sent us to the Dham". A number of Hindu seers and religious leaders have advised the community members to have more children. Most seers and religious leaders have given the logic that if Hindus don't give birth to more children, they will soon become the minority, as Muslims would outnumber the community. However, the data from the Central government suggests that the population rise in the nation is largely under control. During a debate last year, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said family planning and better healthcare have ensured stabilization of population anyway. "The total fertility rate has come down to around 2%... It tells us that the family planning mission is moving towards success," the minister said.
