The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday linked "demographic imbalance" with higher growth in Muslim and Christian population, even as electioneering comes to an end for the fifth and final phase of elections.

RSS functionaries said there were vast differences in the growth rate of different religious groups and that infiltration and conversion had brought in religious imbalance in population ratio, especially in the border areas, and this could threaten the unity, integrity and identity of the country.

RSS kshetra karyawahak (zonal head) Mohan Singh's statement came ahead of the fifth phase of elections in 57 constituencies in the Kosi, Mithilanchal and Seemanchal area. Several seats in this phase have a high concentration of Muslim population.

At its three-day Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal meeting in neighbouring Jharkhand's capital, Ranchi, the RSS passed a resolution asking the government to reformulate the population policy to check demographic imbalance.

Sources said the RSS passed a resolution saying the share of population of religions of Indian origin, which was earlier 88 per cent, has gone down to 83.8 per cent, whereas that of the Muslim population, which was earlier 9.8 per cent, has gone up to 14.23 per cent.

Mohan said: "The religious imbalance in the country is a big threat to the country. Because of infiltration and religious conversion, the demography of the country, especially in border areas, is changing."

The RSS is keeping an eye on the Assembly elections. The importance it is attaching to the elections can be gauged from the fact that its presence is there at the village level. To increase number of volunteers, it is also running a "Join RSS" programme under which a large number of people from rural areas are joining the organisation. Country-wise, there are 50,432 sakhas run by the RSS, out of which 1,421 are run in 1,104 places of Bihar.

Another reason for RSS presence is the fact that pracharak Rajendra Singh, who was also organisational secretary, is contesting from Dinara in the Bhojpur region.

Rajendra apart, many senior BJP leaders, including Sushil Kumar Modi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh and state BJP chief Mangal Pandey, have an RSS background.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad and others have been attacking BJP leaders, claiming that the RSS was the BJP's real face. RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha said: "Their (RSS) entire approach on population growth is governed by there medieval mindset, which doesn't believe in the Constitution of India."