'I will also contribute after marriage': Bageshwar Dham's Dhirendra Shastri appeals to Hindus to have 4 kids

• Bageshwar Dham Baba urges Hindus to have four children
• His remarks spark political debate in Rajasthan
• Opposition criticizes call, stresses equality for all religions

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Dhirendra Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Dham Baba, advised Hindus to have four children and said that when he gets married, he too will “contribute” to the cause. The statement made duing an event in Rajasthan, has triggered a political debate.

Speaking during a three-day Hanuman Katha event in Pushkar, Shastri appealed to Hindus to have four children, saying it was important to maintain population balance in the country. He claimed that the population of one particular community was increasing and that balance must be maintained.

"The declining number of Hindus in India is a matter of concern. Hindus should have at least four children... To stop conversions, Hindus must take pride in Sanatan Dharma."

Baba Bageshwar Dham 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9OOlY72oZq — Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce) February 23, 2026

Referring to questions about his own family, he said, “Now people will ask how many children I have? I want to say that when I get married, I will also contribute.”

He also went beyond an earlier remark by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had spoken about having three children, and instead urged Hindus to have four.

During his speech, Shastri also spoke about Indian Muslims, saying they should remember their Hindu ancestors and consider “ghar wapsi” (returning to their original faith).

He further advised Hindus not to visit the Ajmer Dargah Sharif and instead follow their own religion and worship their own deities. He said that Hindus have crores of gods and goddesses and should remain devoted to their own faith. “There is no need for Hindus to go there. Let people of other religions serve their own places of worship,” he said.

His remarks led to a sharp response from Rajasthan’s Leader of Opposition, Tikaram Jully. Questioning Shastri’s statement, Jully asked how many children the religious leader himself has. He said that as a religious figure, Shastri should speak about religion and spirituality, not politics.

Jully further said that discussions dividing society into Hindu and Muslim are not appropriate. “In this country, people of all religions and communities have equal rights under the Constitution. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are all equal,” he said.