The Population Foundation of India, an NGO, has stated that population growth rates are not linked to religion and that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is declining among all religious groups, with the highest decrease being observed among Muslims. This statement comes amidst a debate over the increase in the population of minorities in India.
A recent working paper compiled by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has revealed that between 1950 and 2015, the share of the Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent in India, while the Muslim population increased by 43.15 per cent. This suggests that the country has a conducive environment for fostering diversity.
The study led to a slugfest among political parties, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that the “appeasement politics” of the Congress led to the increase in the population of Muslims in the country.
In a statement, the Population Foundation of India expressed deep concern about recent media reports that have "misreported" the findings from a study, causing alarm about the growth of the Muslim population in the country.
“The study’s focus on changes in the share of majority and minority religious groups globally over a 65-year period should not be used to incite fear or discrimination against any community,” it said.
According to census figures, the decadal growth rate for Muslims has declined over the past three decades.
Specifically, the decadal growth rate for Muslims decreased from 32.9 per cent in 1981-1991 to 24.6 per cent in 2001-2011.
“This decline is more pronounced than that of Hindus, whose growth rate fell from 22.7 to 16.8 per cent over the same period,” the NGO said.
The census data, available from 1951 to 2011, is quite similar to the data in this study, indicating that these numbers are not new, the organisation said.
Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the Population Foundation of India, said fertility rates are closely linked to education and income levels, not religion.
“States with better access to education, healthcare and socio-economic development, such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, exhibit lower TFRs across all religious groups. For example, the TFR among Muslim women in Kerala is lower than the TFR among Hindu women in Bihar,” the NGO said.
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