Hindu population in the country has increased in absolute terms in last four decades but its share in the total population has decreased during the period, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
In response to a a question in the lower houese of Parliament, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said that Hindu population in the country has increased in absolute terms from 45.33 crore in 1971 to 96.62 crores in 2011.
"However, the share of Hindu population in the total population has decreased during the period," he said in a written reply.
Hindu population was 82.7 per cent in 1971 but it has decreased to 79.8 per cent of total population in 2011, Ahir said.
According to 2011 census data, Hindu population came below 80 per cent for the time since independence.
Muslims form the second largest religious group in India with 17.22 Crores, 14.23 per cent of total population.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had last month claimed that Hindu population was decreasing as “Hindus never convert people” and “minorities in India are flourishing unlike in some other countries around”.
"Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some countries around," he had tweeted in response to Congress' allegation that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government was trying to convert Arunachal Pradesh into a “Hindu state”.
