Entertainment
India’s powerful Hindu group chief urges three-child families as fertility rates fall
- Declining fertility rates pose demographic risks.
- Bhagwat calls for population ‘controlled, yet sufficient’ balance.
- RSS leader calls on Muslims to overcome fear, build mutual trust.
NEW DELHI: The head of India’s powerful Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said that Indian families must have three children each, warning about the long-term risks from the current trend of declining birth rates.
At 1.46 billion, India is the world’s most populous nation but the total fertility rate has dropped to less than two children per woman, according to the UN Population Fund’s 2025 report, as economic growth gathers momentum.
Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the RSS that is the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, said the population must remain “controlled, yet sufficient”.
Speaking at a lecture to mark the 100 years of the founding of the RSS on Thursday, Bhagwat suggested that “in the national interest, every family should have three children and limit themselves to that”.
His call for larger families reflects anxiety among nationalist leaders and some regional politicians about long-term demographic stability, national capacity, and cultural identity.
For years hardline Hindu groups have pointed to higher birth rates among minority groups such as Muslims as a cause of concern although data shows Indian Muslims are also having fewer children than in the past.
Bhagwat too said birth rates were declining across religious groups.
While the RSS officially describes itself as a cultural organisation promoting Hindu values, it wields enormous influence through its vast network of affiliates and millions of grassroots volunteers.
Many of Modi’s senior ministers, including the prime minister himself, are long-time members of the RSS.
Analysts say BJP’s policy priorities — from cultural and education reform to citizenship laws — frequently echo positions championed by the RSS, making the organisation one of the most powerful civil society groups in the world.
Bhagwat rejected criticism that the RSS was opposed to Muslims — who make up about 14% of India’s population — and other minorities saying the organisation viewed all of them as Indians.
“Our ancestors and culture are the same. Worship practices may differ, but our identity is one. Changing religion does not change one’s community,” he said.
“Mutual trust must be built on all sides. Muslims must overcome the fear that joining hands with others will erase their religion.”
John Travolta is giving fans a nostalgic holiday surprise by channeling his iconic Grease character Danny Zuko, this time dressed as Santa Claus.
The actor, 71, stars in a new Capital One commercial where he appears in a workshop-style garage, decked out as Santa and eyeing a high-tech sleigh.
While checking out the vehicle, Travolta goes into character and jokes, “Ho, ho, ho, ho. Why, this sleigh could be frost-o-matic, tinsel-matic, 1.5% cash back-o-matic.”
He follows it up with an unmistakable throwback line, “It’s Greased Lightnin’,” while paying with a Capital One card.
Travolta then jumps into a playful reenactment of the famous Greased Lightnin’ performance, complete with dance moves and support from Santa’s elves, plus a reindeer in sunglasses.
He ends the commercial with the tagline, “Ho, ho, ho — what’s in your wallet?” before the sleigh takes off into the sky.
This isn’t the first time Travota has nodded to his most memorable roles in Capital One ads.
Last year, he partnered with Samuel L. Jackson for a spot filled with Pulp Fiction references.
The 2024 holiday ad also brought back his Santa persona, where he shops online for gifts like hot chocolate, marshmallows and “3,000 bolo ties,” a fun reference to his role as Vincent Vega.
The ad wraps up with Travolta’s Santa recreating the iconic Pulp Fiction dance scene, set to Chuck Berry’s Run Run Rudolph.
Travolta has shown his love for Grease before too, including a surprise appearance at a Hollywood Bowl sing-along event for the classic movie.
With his latest ad, he brings back the spirit of Greased Lightnin’ in a festive way, mixing Hollywood nostalgia, holiday cheer and a little bit of classic Travolta charm.
Sean Diddy Combs’ new documentary, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, is produced by none other than his arch-nemeses, 50 Cent, and the teaser promises to pull back the curtain on the rapper’s scandals and crimes.
The new trailer, which is only 56 seconds long, showed new footage from before the Bad Boy Records founder’s arrest in September 2024, and he appeared visibly worried about losing the legal battle, which hadn’t started yet.
The footage released on December 1 showed the disgraced music mogul scrambling for legal help as he tells his team, “We have to find somebody that’ll work with us that has dealt in the dirtiest of dirty business. We’re losing!”
Social media sleuths flocked to X and shared their curiosity over the documentary, which will be available to stream on December 2.
“50 cent trolling diddy hard with this one,” one X user wrote, while another echoed, “50 been waiting his whole life to drop this bomb on Diddy and tomorrow Netflix finally hands him the mic. All those years of shots fired on Instagram just turned into a whole documentary,” referring to decades-long feud between the two musicians.
“They let 50 produce it? oh he’s COOKINGDDDD somebody up,” chimed in a third, while one reacted, “Oh yeah, this is about to shake the whole internet again.”
While Diddy is serving up to 50 months in prison, 50 Cent has collected never-before-seen footage and explosive information on the former’s Freak Off parties, as well as stories from the accusers, which will be told in the documentary.
Kristne Bell and Dax Shepherd got unfiltered feedback from their daughters on their 2012 film, Hit & Run.
During a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Idiocracy star revealed that Lincoln (12) and Delta (10) saw the movie, and were stunned to see Bell’s character break up with his character.
“They were very upset,” he shared their kids’ swift and brutally honest reaction. “and what made me so happy is they were mad at Mom, not me. They thought Mom was a b—h. They thought Daddy was a good boy with a bad past, and she should be able to overlook that, and I agree.”
Bell sitting beside her partner on the November 28 episode laughed off the critique.
She noted that the kids ultimately liked the movie.
“We spent we spent all this time making this independent film and Daddy wrote it and directed it and they were like, ‘We want to see it,’” Dax continued.
“And we hadn’t watched it in forever. We like, ‘OK, let’s watch it with you.’ They loved it. It’s very inappropriate. And it was a great litmus test for our children.”
The Commanders are coming up empty on this season’s ‘luck dashboard’
John Travolta gives ‘Greased Lightnin” a Santa-inspired revival
US Republican senator calls for DOJ and Homeland Security to investigate Shein, Temu for counterfeiting
-
Sports1 week agoWATCH: Ronaldo scores spectacular bicycle kick
-
Entertainment1 week agoWelcome to Derry’ episode 5 delivers shocking twist
-
Politics1 week agoWashington and Kyiv Stress Any Peace Deal Must Fully Respect Ukraine’s Sovereignty
-
Business1 week agoKey economic data and trends that will shape Rachel Reeves’ Budget
-
Politics1 week ago53,000 Sikhs vote in Ottawa Khalistan Referendum amid Carney-Modi trade talks scrutiny
-
Tech6 days agoWake Up—the Best Black Friday Mattress Sales Are Here
-
Tech1 day agoGet Your Steps In From Your Home Office With This Walking Pad—On Sale This Week
-
Fashion1 week agoCanada’s Lululemon unveils team Canada kit for Milano Cortina 2026