DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22459#0037
January 27, 1952
ifttmalamti; (Times
Se\ en
Dr. S. Chandrasekher, Director of
the Indian Institute for Population Stu-
dies, and an authority on demography,
has after considerable study on the sub-
ject come to the conclusion that neither
integral migration nor emigration will
solve the problem of population in India
the former becase it is impracticable, the
latter because there are no emigration
outlets for Indians anywhere in the
world.
As he explained, “Malayalees can go
and live in large numbers in Assam which
has a low density But the difficulty
is about their mixing with the Assamese.
True, the Malayalees are very nice people,
but the Assameese don’t think so !”
The necessity of solving the “po-
pulation problem within our geographical
regions” has, therefore, been forced upon
the Indians. Actually, the question of
planned parenthood as a solution to both
the economic as well as the political ills
has begun to agitate the minds of Indian
socialogist and statistians only recently,
though it is not in the twentienth cen-
tury alone that economic reasons have
compelled human beings to limit their
families.
Those wh > resent the idea of plan-
ned parenthood forget that it is desirable
that the idea of contraception spreads
among the vast illitrate masses cf our
people who may employ methods resulting
in limiting their families. What is
attempted is to arrive at a solution to
the problem taking into account the
demographic, social engenic and economic
points of view. Judged from present
conditions, where any solution must be
easily applicable to the work a-day milli-
ons. it is considered that controlling con-
ception alone will result in the prosperity
of the heme and the nation.
The objection to birth control comes
from two entirely different sections of
the Indians: the orthodox religious m *n
and women who will fight this social
necessity as they wfould fight any progres-
sive movement which seeks a change in
conventional superstiousVjjelief, and the
Catholic community.
It is too late in the day to stop
ushering in a social reform-just because
it raises doubts of being moral or
otherwise. With a change in the times,
comes inevitably a* change in the con-
ception of morals. What is a compelling
necessity to a large mass of people can
nqt be denied them, oven though the
medium of fulfilling that necessity may
be unethical. The only excuse for going
through with it is that it result in the
good of the greatest number.
No doubt, birth control may offend
religious sentiments, buf curiously enough,
even the religions have to eat to live !
‘ Artificial birth prevention will only bring
down the wrath of God on our beloved
country,’’ says n pamphlet issued by the
opponents of the family-planners. This
is a very currious statement to make,
indeed, considerig that God has shown
little mercy hitherto in providing enough
to efot for His children and has left them
to help'themselves as be3t they can !
The Catholic Church is not as much
opposed to (the need for checking popu-
lation as it- is to the artificial limitation
of the family, which it regards as k‘a
grave sin”. The Catholic Church pleads
for morgl restraint and if that is not
possible, it advocates the “rhythm me-
thod’’. Unfortunately however, members
of the Catholic fold, in criticising the
need for planned parenthood ignore de-
mographic conditions which render me-
thods other than scientific contraception
open to failure. In their zeal to obey
the Pope’s Encyclical, . they not only
forget that bringing forth children into
(Cnntiniu'd ,,n jhi.fr' #)
ifttmalamti; (Times
Se\ en
Dr. S. Chandrasekher, Director of
the Indian Institute for Population Stu-
dies, and an authority on demography,
has after considerable study on the sub-
ject come to the conclusion that neither
integral migration nor emigration will
solve the problem of population in India
the former becase it is impracticable, the
latter because there are no emigration
outlets for Indians anywhere in the
world.
As he explained, “Malayalees can go
and live in large numbers in Assam which
has a low density But the difficulty
is about their mixing with the Assamese.
True, the Malayalees are very nice people,
but the Assameese don’t think so !”
The necessity of solving the “po-
pulation problem within our geographical
regions” has, therefore, been forced upon
the Indians. Actually, the question of
planned parenthood as a solution to both
the economic as well as the political ills
has begun to agitate the minds of Indian
socialogist and statistians only recently,
though it is not in the twentienth cen-
tury alone that economic reasons have
compelled human beings to limit their
families.
Those wh > resent the idea of plan-
ned parenthood forget that it is desirable
that the idea of contraception spreads
among the vast illitrate masses cf our
people who may employ methods resulting
in limiting their families. What is
attempted is to arrive at a solution to
the problem taking into account the
demographic, social engenic and economic
points of view. Judged from present
conditions, where any solution must be
easily applicable to the work a-day milli-
ons. it is considered that controlling con-
ception alone will result in the prosperity
of the heme and the nation.
The objection to birth control comes
from two entirely different sections of
the Indians: the orthodox religious m *n
and women who will fight this social
necessity as they wfould fight any progres-
sive movement which seeks a change in
conventional superstiousVjjelief, and the
Catholic community.
It is too late in the day to stop
ushering in a social reform-just because
it raises doubts of being moral or
otherwise. With a change in the times,
comes inevitably a* change in the con-
ception of morals. What is a compelling
necessity to a large mass of people can
nqt be denied them, oven though the
medium of fulfilling that necessity may
be unethical. The only excuse for going
through with it is that it result in the
good of the greatest number.
No doubt, birth control may offend
religious sentiments, buf curiously enough,
even the religions have to eat to live !
‘ Artificial birth prevention will only bring
down the wrath of God on our beloved
country,’’ says n pamphlet issued by the
opponents of the family-planners. This
is a very currious statement to make,
indeed, considerig that God has shown
little mercy hitherto in providing enough
to efot for His children and has left them
to help'themselves as be3t they can !
The Catholic Church is not as much
opposed to (the need for checking popu-
lation as it- is to the artificial limitation
of the family, which it regards as k‘a
grave sin”. The Catholic Church pleads
for morgl restraint and if that is not
possible, it advocates the “rhythm me-
thod’’. Unfortunately however, members
of the Catholic fold, in criticising the
need for planned parenthood ignore de-
mographic conditions which render me-
thods other than scientific contraception
open to failure. In their zeal to obey
the Pope’s Encyclical, . they not only
forget that bringing forth children into
(Cnntiniu'd ,,n jhi.fr' #)