“It is implied in his statement that a woman‘s reproductive faculties are to be employed solely to fulfil the agenda of a Hindu nationalist state-like a reproductive machine,“ said Malini Bhattacharya, a leading activist.

The RSS holds considerable sway among the large, conservative Hindu population, especially in impoverished northern India.

It has often expressed concern about what it calls a higher growth rate among Muslims, especially in areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh where India says illegal immigrants, mainly Muslims, infiltrate into the country.

More than 80 percent of secular India‘s people are Hindus, more than 13 percent Muslims and the rest Christians, Sikhs and other minorities. The Muslim community grew almost 30 percent between 1991 and 2001 according to census data, while the number of Hindus rose 20 percent. Both growth rates are lower than a decade earlier.

But the RSS is worried at the higher growth rate among Muslims. After Sudarshan‘s comment, the big central state of Madhya Pradesh, ruled by the BJP, said it would consider dropping a policy barring people with more than two children from contesting local council elections.

It is not clear if the move was prompted by the RSS stand.

“India‘s Hindu character should be maintained. If there are over 80 percent Hindus, it should remain so.“

Population is one of the biggest challenges for India‘s rapidly growing economy, where planners push for a “two-child” norm. But the policy is rarely implemented strictly.