Gujarat : Patidar Leader’s Call for 3-4 Children Stirs Controversy

Kutch | Gujarat – A heated debate has erupted within the Patidar community after Vishwa Umiyadham president R.P. Patel publicly urged Patidar families to have at least three to four children to counter the community’s declining population, which he claimed is threatening its social strength and political influence.

Speaking at a Kutch Kadwa Patidar Samaj program on Sunday, Patel warned that the “one child” and even “no child” trend was creating a serious survival crisis for the community.

“Our numbers are falling. This means our political power and social influence are also weakening. If this continues, we will be forced to fight for survival. I urge families to have at least three to four children,” he said.

Patel claimed that although female feticide had declined, new challenges had emerged.“The evil of feticide has stopped, but now families are willingly limiting themselves to one child — some to none at all. If we do not unite and defend our land and property from anti-social elements, it will not be long before we lose both,” he warned.

The remarks sparked immediate controversy, with several community leaders sharply divided on the issue.

Former IPS officer Ramesh Savani dismissed Patel’s comments as irresponsible.“Anyone telling Patidars to have three to four children is misleading them for selfish political interests. This is just an attempt to gain leadership by stirring emotions. Why are such leaders silent when Patidars take their own lives due to financial stress?” he asked.

On the other hand, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Alpesh Kathiria said Patel’s concerns should not be ignored.“His statement is meaningful. The one-child trend will eventually eliminate the traditional family structure — there will be no uncles, aunts, or cousins. This will weaken our social system. We must think seriously about this issue,” Kathiria said, emphasizing the need to preserve the joint family tradition.

However, Aam Aadmi Party leader Reshma Patel rejected the idea that having more children would strengthen the community.“Social or political progress does not come from having more children. In today’s inflation, raising three or four children is extremely difficult. Families are already struggling with unemployment and financial pressures. The decision must remain personal,” she said.

Following the controversy, R.P. Patel was admitted to hospital for treatment of cold, cough, and vomiting.

The debate has now spilled across social media and community circles, with some viewing Patel’s comments as a call for cultural preservation, while others see them as outdated and impractical in the face of modern economic realities.

With leaders like Alpesh Kathiria supporting parts of Patel’s argument and others like Ramesh Savani and Reshma Patel outright opposing it, the discussion over family size has turned into a broader conversation about how the Patidar community should secure its future — through numbers, resources, or reforms.