Author: Our Correspondent
Publication: Organiser
Date: May 11, 2003
Introduction: If the number of Indian
Religionists continue to decline at the same speed, in the coming 50 years,
the Indian Religionists would be less than 50 per cent of the total population
and Muslims would form the major part of the remaining 50 per cent population,
the book points out.
"Some of the facts are staggering.
The findings published in this book should be taken seriously by all of
us, especially by those who are in applied politics," said Shri Vasant
Sathe, veteran Congress leader and former I&B minister while speaking
at a function to mark the release of the book Religious Demography of India
in New Delhi. The book, jointly authored by A. P. Joshi, M. D. Srinivas
and J. K. Bajaj and published by Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), Chennai,
was released by Dy. Prime Minister Shri L.K.Advani.
Elaborating on the contents of the
book, Shri Sathe remarked that the falling number of Hindus should be a
cause of alarm for those who claim to be the protectors of Hinduism. He
called upon such organisations to ponder over the consequences of the data
made available in the book. Referring to Hinduism as Sindhuism meaning
the Vedantic Ocean, Shri Sathe pointed out that the Constitution recognised
that all Indian religions are one through Article 25. Buddhism, according
to him, is an extension of Vedantism, which spread in South-East Asia in
a non-violent manner. Contrary to this, both Islam and Christianity adopted
violent means to spread, he added. He lamented that over the years we have
lost the urge to remain united and thereby lost the spirit of the teachings
of Vedantism. The choice before us is to work for our survival or remain
a koopamanduk (frog in the well), he said. One cannot wipe out religion
for all talks of secularism, said the Congress leader and added that not
a single Muslim majority country believes in secularism. Pointing out to
the large concentration of Muslims and the Church in certain areas in the
North and North-East as mentioned in the book, Shri Sathe warned of another
Partition of a "moth eaten India if we Indian Religionists" are not alert.
He lambasted those who are holding on to caste and other divisive social
trends and said that caste is a dye cast. Stating that the book should
be an eye opener for all, Shri Sathe said, we have to see Indian politics
in world perspective and also have to understand that how we would face
the truth after 50 years when Christians and Muslims will be 50 per cent
of the total population in the country. "Are we ready to face another partition
of the country? Indonesia also has recently been divided on the basis of
religion. These facts should not be ignored. We will have to be alert immediately
and will have to find solution to the growing problem," Shri Sathe concluded.
Earlier, one of the authors J.K.
Bajaj recalled his conversation with the late Ram Swaroopji and mentioned
that it was his idea that has blossomed into this research document. The
census data covering a period of 120 years forms the basis of compilation
and analysis of the book, said the author and informed that since this
study is concerned mainly with the heterogeneity introduced by Islam and
Christianity, populations for the purpose of this study are divided into
three large groups: Muslims, Christians and the rest collectively termed
as Indian Religionists.
The book reveals that the number
of Indian Religionists from 1881 to 1991 declined 11 per cent in the Indian
subcontinent, which includes Pakistan and Bangladesh also. Earlier they
were 78 per cent but now reduced to 67 per cent. During the partition about
three per cent Indian Religionists had come to India. According to the
book, in two-third parts of India, Hindu population is still 90-95 per
cent. But there are certain areas in this region where the number of Indian
Religionists has declined. In Hyderabad of Andhra Pradesh, north districts
of Karnataka and certain areas of Maharashtra, the growth of Muslims is
very high. Similarly in the Mewat region and the Christian-dominated areas
of Kanyakumari, the number of Indian Religionists is going down. In other
parts of the country, like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and
in the Ganga belt the Indian Religionists are about 85 per cent. Whereas
while moving from Uttar Pradesh to Assam this number gradually declines
from 85 per cent to 65 per cent. In the north-eastern States of India,
the number of Christians has registered a remarkable growth. Whereas before
Independence only one State- Mizoram-was Christian dominated. Similarly
in the Andamans and Nicobar Islands, where there were only Indian rReligionists
before Independence, now Christians are over 70 per cent. These statistics
reveal the alarming situation in the country. If the number of Indian Religionists
continue to decline at the same speed, in the coming 50 years, the Indian
Religionists would be less than 50 per cent of the total population and
Muslims would form the major part of the remaining 50 per cent population,
the book points out.
Later speaking about the book, Dy.
Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani referred to the term Indian Religionists
used in the book and suggested that it could have been religions of Indian
origin. Many times people suggest that references to religion should not
be made in a highly sensitive atmosphere such as today's, he said but disagreed
with this view and said that since the book is about religious demography,
of which he himself is a victim, it should be more relevant in the present.
Shri Advani who lauded the work as landmark and path breaking hoped for
a healthy discussion and debate on a number of subjects such as secularism,
instead of shying away keeping in view the present day contradictions.
Concepts like secularism have been maligned by the Leftists, he said and
recalled how some years back Left MPs had petitioned to the then President
Dr Radhakrishnan to stop broadcast of religious prayers through radio which
is owned by a secular State. "That is the only programme I listen to regularly,"
quipped the President and refused to oblige the Leftists. Referring to
one of the conclusions in the book that the changing religious profile
of population in the country had a strong impact on the socio-political
situation, the Dy. PM called for a proper assessment of the consequences
of the demographic changes.
The book is the result of a study
conducted by the CPS, Chennai, and sponsored by the Indian Council of Social
Science Research (ICSSR). Speaking on the importance of such a study, the
ICSSR Chairperson Dr.V.R. Panchamukhi said that social scientists have
so far considered man only to be a rational economic man but it is also
necessary to have a holistic view of the society. Religion plays an important
role even in the economic realm, like spending and saving, of the society,
he said. Along with the economic study, there is need to study the spiritual
content of the growth and progress of man, he argued. Five types of growth
should be avoided, he said and identified them as jobless growth, futureless
growth, ruthless growth, unwise growth and rootless growth. Societies are
guided by Dharma, which, however, does not mean religion, he said and added
that value system is important for the sustenance of the society. There
is need to study the impact of culture on globalisation, he said.
(Shri M.D. Shrinivas, one of the
authors, thanked everyone concerned with the project and also the enlightened
audience, which included the Sarsanghchalak of the RSS Shri K.S. Sudarshan,
besides a number of research scholars and writers.)
