BJP and Oppn spar over govt panel report on rise in Muslim population

A government panel report on the rise in Muslim population in the country kicked up a political row on Thursday with the ruling BJP targeting the Congress on its pitch for giving reservation to the minority community and the Opposition accusing the saffron party of trying to create a communal divide amid ongoing parliamentary elections.

-  RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR

This came after a recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) said the share of the Hindu population decreased by 7.82% between 1950 and 2015 in India, while that of Muslims increased by 43.15%, suggesting that there is a conducive environment in the country to foster diversity. The paper titled 'Share of Religious Minorities: A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015)' further said the share of Jains in the population of India decreased from 0.45% in 1950 to 0.36% in 2015.