Hindus and family planning
Pethe, V.P.
Artha Vijnana Journal of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics Poona 14: 457-464
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-3559 PMID: 12261828 Document Number: 562913
This is the review of a book dealing with the family planning program in India. The author of the book claims that the government-sponsored family planning program is forcing Hindus, and only Hindus, to adopt family planning. Eventually, this will lead to a situation in India where Hindus will be in the minority, outnumbered by Muslims and other non-Hindus. The reviewer claims that the thesis, although passionately stated and supported by important Indian personalities, is never proved. In fact, losses to Hinduism have come more often from internal dissensions than from any other cause. In addition, religion is not the only basis of nationhood. Even if Hindus are now practicing family planning to a greater extent than non-Hindus, it is certain that non-Hindus will eventually see the wisdom of limiting family size. Fertility levels are, in fact, not currently higher among Muslims and other non-Hindus than among the Hindus. Neither are attitudes toward family planning any more favorable among Hindus than among other groups in India. No religion seems to be practicing family planning to a greater extent than any other. It is true that growth rates among Muslims have been higher than among Hindus, but this was due to sociological rather than religious reasons. The census results from 1971 which show higher rates among Christians and Muslims do not indicate any recent new trends.