MillenniumPost
Opinion

Tackling overpopulation

Controlling population is key for any polity to enjoy the fruits of progress

That the "fruits of progress can only be enjoyed at peace" is quite well-known. No matter the quantum of progress made by successive governments, this stands true for all countries across the globe, in all possible sectors. The fact of the matter is that if there is no peace, progress can be meaningless. Null & Void. Period. Naturally, the question now arises as to how peace can be made to prevail. Confucius had said that to ensure peace in the world, there should be peace in each country, to ensure peace in the country, there should be peace in every region, to ensure peace in the region, there should be peace in each society, to ensure peace in the society, there should be peace in each household, to ensure peace in each household, there should be peace within each person of the household and to ensure that, each person should be at peace and content. How does one attain such peace? Well, the answer to this extremely important and varies from person to person, but the basic premise is that everyone gets all the essentials required for sustenance. More importantly, one should be able to relish the same. From time immemorial, every country has been searching for ways to bring sustainable peace in their respective societies and ensure that citizens can enjoy the fruits of the development that follows.

However, the development and subsequent enjoyment of it is directly proportional to the numbers, keeping with basics of demand and supply. To explain it with a simple example, 10 grams of butter can be effectively spread over two slices of bread. If one tries to spread the same butter over 10 slices of bread, it would not have any taste or purpose. Similarly, fruits of progress can only be enjoyed by an optimal population. If this optimal population threshold is crossed, then no one can enjoy the fruits of progress. Zeroing-in on the crux of the matter, it can be reliably conferred that more population equals less enjoyment of progress.

When there are more people, it is but natural that peace would also be adversely affected. Society is bound to be divided along the lines of 'haves and have nots'. Thus, the have nots are bound to rise up and ask for society to balance itself. As a result, crimes would increase, giving rise to unhappiness among the deprived as well as the materialistically privileged. So what is the solution? It's simple – population control. PM Modi has recently drawn attention to this aspect in his speeches and addresses to the nation.

It's a global phenomenon that society's deprived ones will always gravitate towards fighting for what they presume to be greener pastures. This struggle has tilted the equilibrium adversely in various area. Be it the conflict between immigrating Mexicans and the US government or Rohingyas emigrating from Myanmar and now in South East Asia and India. In India, besides such mass movements of people from one region to the other, the influx of refugees from neighbouring countries in the last four decades has been detrimental to several states, especially border states like Assam and West Bengal, where mass exodus has changed the very basic demographics of the region. Districts like Dhubri, Goalpara in Assam, Malda, 24 Parganas and all of North Bengal and Tripura are examples of adverse effects, due to which the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) has become the only option.

Despite the task of implementing something like the NRC being a herculean one, it is a requirement that the present government has correctly not deferred. Any such measure is bound to have teething problems and there is no need for the hullabaloo coming from some political quarters. All responsible citizens of the country are well aware that not a single genuine citizen will be harmed in any manner as a result of the NRC. On the other hand, it is a necessity, without which the fruits of progress will go down the drain for the entire indigenous population of the country.

Much like elaborated in the song – Mai Bharat Bol Raha Hun – where singers like Kailash Kher, Shaan and others link the scarcity of resources in every sector to the most important yet dangerous issue of overpopulation. No matter what the government provides in all development sectors, there is a huge deficit due to an increasing number of illegitimate resident in India, leaving demand and supply forever in disbalance.

Keeping this in mind, more than 125 parliamentarians have signed and admitted a public bill during the last session to put a stop to this population explosion in our country. Not being as tough as China, but it quiet aptly proposes a maximum two-child norm, i.e., to debar anyone who has more than two children from voting in the country, besides disincentivising facilities for such couples. While Bangladesh and Malaysia have been able to contain their population explosion, India has not. Both the birth rate and the influx of migrants from neighbouring countries are responsible for this in our nation.

Atithi Devo Bhava is something that can't be extended at our peril – at the cost of our own existence! It is imperative to understand and accept this simple yet bitter truth, without indulging in politicking, for the country's sake.

(The author is a senior IAF officer, former OSD to LG, DelhiThe views expressed are strictly personal)

Next Story
Share it