Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Monday that Hindu population was decreasing as “Hindus never convert people” and “minorities in India are flourishing unlike in some other countries around”.
Mr. Rijiju posted this message on Twitter while reacting to a news report, in which the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee alleged that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government was trying to convert Arunachal Pradesh into a “Hindu state”.
Mr. Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, took to Twitter to rebut the allegation.
Mr. Rijiju put out another one saying India is a secular country.
“Congress should not make such provocative statements. India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom and living peacefully,” Mr. Rijiju posted on Twitter.
Constitutional rights
Reacting to this, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi said, “What have the minorities in India got to do with minorities of other countries. It is the Constitution which guarantees rights.”
Mr. Owaisi further attacked Mr. Rijiju and said, “MoS for Home should remember that he is a Minister of India for all Indians, not for Hindus alone, remember your oath as a Minister.”
As per the census data, India now has 966.3 million Hindus who make up 79.8 per cent of its population, and 172.2 million Muslims who make up 14.23% of its population.
Christians make up 2.3 per cent of the population and Sikhs 2.16%.
