Muslim population in India may match that of Indonesia after Census: Union minister Rijiju

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that the Muslim population in India is likely to be nearly the same as that of Indonesia after the Census. ''The Muslim population in the country is likely to be nearly on par with Indonesia's population. Once the Census (data) is out, it will be the likely outcome,'' the Union minister for Minority Affairs told reporters after a programme here. As the last Census was conducted in 2011 and the decennial exercise could not be conducted in 2021, the population would have grown, he said. ''Whatever the numbers of whichever (community) are, all are Indians,'' Rijiju added. Highlighting concerns over the declining population of the Parsi community, he stated that their numbers stand at around 52,000 to 55,000 in the country. The Parsis are the smallest minority community in India and the government is working to protect them and ensure their numbers do not shrink further, he added. Rijiju also dismissed claims that minorities are under threat in the country, alleging that some political organisations are trying to create fear among the Muslims and Christians. All citizens are equal before the Constitution and no one is treated differently on the basis of religion or caste, the BJP leader said. The Bharatiya Janata Party forming a government in West Bengal was also a victory for the country as it is a very sensitive state sharing border with Bangladesh from where a lot of illegal migrants enter, the minister said. The BJP winning the election in the state was a crucial development for national security, he added. The party has long been raising concerns about illegal migration and the new state government would help address the issue effectively, Rijiju said. The earlier Mamata Banerjee-led government did not implement certain central schemes, he claimed, citing the National e-Vidhan Application as an example, and added that the Union government would ensure their implementation now.

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