Kiren Rijjiju, Union Minister of State for Home, today triggered a row by claiming that Hindu population in India is reducing because the community doesn’t indulge in the conversion of people from other religious groups. He also said that minorities are “flourishing” in the country, unlike other regions of the world.
“Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some countries around,” the minister Tweeted in response to a report in which Congress had accused the BJP of converting Arunachal Pradesh into a Hindu state.
While Congress’ claim was highly irresponsible, with the potential to trigger communal tensions, Rijiju’s comment was also not necessary. It appears that Rijiju walked straight into a Congress trap laid especially at a time when Assembly elections are underway in five states of the country, including Manipur in the North East and Uttar Pradesh.
Instead of passing his own comment, Rijiju could have saved himself from getting into a controversy by simply attacking the Congress for indulging in communal politics in the season of elections. Rijiju did this, but only after he found himself at the centre of a row.
Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some countries around. pic.twitter.com/W4rZnk1saM
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 13, 2017
Why is Congress making such irresponsible statements? People of Arunachal Pradesh are unitedly living peacefully with each other. pic.twitter.com/uxcdsW6Vcm
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 13, 2017
“Congress should not make such provocative statements. India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom and living peacefully,” he tweeted. In another Tweet, the Central minister said, “Why is Congress making such irresponsible statements? People of Arunachal Pradesh are unitedly living peacefully with each other.”
Politicians often rake up the issue of alleged conversion and some — including Hindu and Muslim leaders — try to build a support for them by spreading fears of their reducing population. However, the Census data shows tells a different story.
According to the religion Census 2011 data, the percentage of Hindu population is 79.8% of the total 121.05 crore. The overall Hindu population had increased by 14.5% from the 82.75 crore (in 2001) to 96.68 crore in 2011. Despite the overall increase, there was a dip in the total share from 80.5% in 2001. The lowering of the share of Hindu population could be attributed to the rise of Muslim population share.
As per the Census, Muslim population share increased from 13.8 crore in 2001 to 17.2 crore (14.23%) in 2011. While the total population of Muslims increased in the 10 years, the Census found that Muslim population growth rate was at the lowest level in India’s history. It was same for other religions as well.
The reduction of population growth rate could be attributed to several factors, the most important is people’s insistence on having less number of children, unlike the past. The conversion claims, hence, is just a politics. For people are wise to choose the religion they want to pursue. Leaders like Rijiju should avoid getting into unnecessary controversies.
