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Sudarshan’s demographics debunked |
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Written by Vineeta Pandey & Rajesh Sinha
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Sunday, 29 January 2006 |
NEW DELHI: It was a study conducted for the RSS, by the RSS. Hence, it
came as no surprise when RSS chief KS Sudarshan used it to exhort
Hindus to multiply faster.
The Centre for Policy Studies, which published the ‘Religious
Demography of India’, counts among its trustees and authors Sangh
Parivar luminaries like Murli Manohar Joshi, S Gurumurthy, and KN
Govindacharya.
The study’s aim was primarily political, as evidenced by the foreword
written by BJP president LK Advani: “The book is likely to prove an
invaluable handbook for political leaders, statesmen, administrators,
and social scientists of India, and for concerned leaders of several
other countries.”
The data is sarkari – the authors say it is based on the 2001 census -
but reinterpreted to suit the RSS. The preface delves into the politics
behind the removal of the registrar-general of India for claiming that
the census indicates a spurt in the growth of Muslim and Christian
populations.
The book sidesteps the Sangh’s hobby horse of higher birth rates among
certain religions and ascribes the growth of Muslims and Christians to
infiltration and conversion.
It begins by saying that the difference in the decadal growth of
“Indian religionists” and Muslims has widened from about 10 per cent in
the first decade after Independence to about 45 per cent in the last
two. Christians, whose decadal growth had declined to about 17 per cent
in the previous two decades from a high of 33 per cent in 1961-71, have
registered a sudden spurt in growth to 23 per cent in 1991-2001.
The book claims that “Indian religionists” have been reduced almost to
a minority in many pockets: “There seems to be a surge in Christian and
Muslim presence in several other border areas, and even in some
interior pockets… In several parts of this region Indian Religionists
do not seem to be welcome anymore,” it says, attributing the slower
decadal growth of “Indian religionists” to large-scale conversion,
out-migration.
J&K finds special mention in the book, which says the valley has
been cleansed of any meaningful Hindu presence. “Out of the one lakh
Hindus left in the Valley 87,000 are adult literate workers who are
there due to their jobs,” says JK Bajaj, one of the three authors of
the
book.
According to the book, the Indian situation does not seem too alarming
compared to the gains Christianity and Islam made in the world in the
20th century. But, it says, "India has not remained unaffected and
between 1900 and 2000 the share of Muslims in the population of India
has increased by about 8 percentage points to reach nearly 30 per cent
and that of Christians by 1 percentage point to reach 2 per cent of the
population."
It goes on to say that several new pockets of high Muslim presence and
growth are developing in India. "Growth of Christianity in India during
the 20th century has also been concentrated in specific geographical
pockets, in some of which Christians now form a predominant majority,"
the book says. "Development of pockets of intense Muslim and Christian
presence seems to have acquired a new vigour during the last two
decades and especially during 1991-2001."
Elsewhere, the book mentions, briefly, that the growth rate of Muslims
has been on the decline in the last decade. "The trend for Muslims and
Christians has not been so clear or systematic. Growth of Muslims
suddenly spurted from 24.43 per cent in 1951-61 to 30.84 per cent in
1961-71, remained almost at the same level during the next decade of
1971-81, rose again to 32.89 per cent during 1981-91, and has declined
to 29.50 per cent during the last decade of 1991-2000." Sudarshan
glossed over this bit in his speech.
Demographer Ashish Bose rubbishes the book's claims and
interpretations. "It's not a study," he says. "It's bogus and
politically motivated." The only population at threat, according to
Bose, is the Zoroastrian Parsees whose numbers are "declining
alarmingly".
The RSS claim
UP, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, and Sikkim are
under pressure from the growth of Muslim and Christian populations
‘Indian Religionists’ are turning into a minority in Jammu &
Kashmir, Goa, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the
Northeast.
Christians in Orissa are growing much faster than others.Proportion of
Muslims is rising sharply in Greater Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik.
Vineeta Pandey and Rajesh Sinha, DNA India, Sunday, November 20, 2005,
Reprinted from http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=10581&CatID=2
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Friday, 29 August 2008