Hindu Share Dip 'Caused Under Congress Rule,' Says BJP, Owaisi Rubbishes EAC-PM Report

New Delhi: The report showing a decline in the majority population in India, belonging to the Hindu religion, has ignited a political firestorm with BJP blaming the Congress rule and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi calling it a ‘report from WhatsApp university.’ 

The report, prepared by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) members, revealed decline in Hindu share by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015, and highlighted that minorities have registered an increase in their share during the same time period. 

Rubbishing the report, AIMIM leader said, “I am not going to answer any question related to the report. It has come from WhatsApp university (a term used to refer to the fake news and misinformation spread in India through WhatsApp).” 

On the other hand, the BJP said that such dip in Hindu population between 1950 and 2015 is the result of Congress rule. 

“Share of Hindus shrunk 7.8% between 1950 and 2015. Muslim population grew at 43%. This is what decades of Congress rule did to us. Left to them, there would be no country for Hindus,” said BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya. 

‘Congress Converted India Into Dharamshala’  

Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh, invoking the report, said the Congress converted the country into a ‘Dharamshala (Guest House)’ during their rule, whose result can be seen now through the population report. 

“Hindus made 88 per cent of the total popoulation but now we're are only 70 per cent. In contrast, the Muslims were 8 per cent, but they are now 15 per cent, according to government report. I believe they make 20 per cent of the total population," he said. 

Taking a swipe at the Congress, the firebrand BJP leader said that due to their appeasement politics, they made Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators a vote bank. 

“Now they want to give full reservation to Muslims. They want to make India an Islamic state. It's a big conspiracy,” he added.

Tejashwi Calls Report an ‘Agenda of BJP’

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, responding to the ‘Hindus share decline’ report, called it an agenda of the BJP. “The census which was to be done in 2021-22 did not happen till 2024. They are only talking about misleading the people of the country and spreading hatred among the people.” 

“This is the agenda of PM Modi and the BJP, they want to cheat the people of the country again,” he added. 

The report, authored by EAC-PM member Shamika Ravi, Apurv Kumar Mishra, Consultant, EAC-PM, and Abraham Jose, Professional, EAC-PM, revealed that share of Muslim population in 1950 was 9.84 percent and increased to 14.09 percent in 2015, marking a 43.15 percent growth. "Within the immediate neighborhood of South Asia, India has witnessed the biggest decline in the majority population only next to Myanmar,” the working paper added.