"RSS decides laws for Rajasthan govt": Cong state chief criticises civic poll eligibility move

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 25 (ANI): Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra on Wednesday criticised the state cabinet's decision to bring in legislation to allow individuals with more than two children to contest elections for Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities, alleging that the BJP government drafts laws on the behest of the RSS.
Speaking to reporters in Jaipur, Dotasra criticised the move, citing previous policies for population control.
The Congress leader said, "Not just today, but for years, whether it's the Government of India or state governments, everyone has had a population control policy. In response to this population control, laws have been introduced multiple times in the Lok Sabha and state governments. During Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's time, a good decision was taken to bring this law for population control."
"Now, in this government, decisions are not made based on policy; RSS decides them. Inside RSS, Mohan Bhagwat and a team of babas like Dhirendra Shastri decide which laws should be made. Governments are making decisions to keep RSS happy, whether it's the Modi government in Delhi or Bhajanlal Sharma's government in Rajasthan. On one hand, you advise and criticise a particular community on population control, while on the other hand, you yourselves make these decisions. I want to ask the government what their policies are?" Dotasra added.
The Congress leaders' remarks came as a jibe at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's "three children" statement.
At a Sangh event in 2025, Bhagwat said, "India's policy on population suggests 2.1 children, which means three children in a family. Every citizen should see that there should be three children in his or her family."
Earlier today, the Rajasthan Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, announced the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to allow individuals with more than two children to contest elections for Panchayati Raj institutions and municipalities, a press release said.
Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa, Industry and Commerce Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, in a press conference held in the Assembly after the cabinet meeting, stated that a decision has been made to amend Section 19 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009.
They explained that the ban on contesting elections for those with more than two children was imposed when there was a need to effectively control the population explosion. The fertility rate between 1991-94 was 3.6, which has now declined to two. Consequently, the direct impact of these provisions is diminishing, the press release said. (ANI)