"Wrong Narrative Exposed": PM Modi On Panel's Findings On Minorities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the narrative that "minority is in danger" is false and has been exposed while highlighting the report published by the Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM).

In a conversation with Republic TV, the Prime Minister said that the perception that has been created is "proving to be a mistake."

"Between 1950 and 2015, the number of Hindus in India has decreased by about 8 per cent, while that of minorities has increased by 43 per cent. The perception that has been created is proving to be a mistake. The wrong narrative is being exposed. Whatever meaning one has to take out of it, they can. I don't want to bring out anything," PM Modi said while speaking to Republic TV.

"If this is factual, then the perceptions created as in that minority is being suppressed in India, there is no voice for the minority in India... all these narratives that are being created, all this allegation against India, please accept the truth and come out of this narrative," he added.

"Bharat sarwajan hitaye, sarwajan sughaye, Vasudeva Kutumbakam bhavanayein ko lekar chalne wala desh hei" (India moves forward taking everyone's needs and wellness and ideas of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' into consideration)," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi's remarks after EAC-PM published a report that stated that in India, the share of the majority Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 (from 84.68 per cent to 78.06 per cent), while the share of the Muslim population, which in 1950 was 9.84 per cent, increased to 14.09 per cent in 2015--a 43.15 per cent increase in their share.

According to the EAC report, the share of the Christian population rose from 2.24 per cent to 2.36 per cent--an increase of 5.38 per cent between 1950 and 2015.

The share of the Sikh population increased from 1.24 per cent in 1950 to 1.85 per cent in 2015--a 6.58 per cent rise in their share. Even the share of the Buddhist population witnessed a noticeable increase from 0.05 per cent in 1950 to 0.81 per cent.

On the other hand, the share of Jains in the population of India decreased from 0.45 per cent in 1950 to 0.36 per cent in 2015. The share of the Parsi population in India witnessed a stark 85 per cent decline, reducing from 0.03 per cent share in 1950 to 0.004 per cent in 2015.

PM Modi said, "We have to take India forward. And the mantra I carry with me is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. When I started my work in 2014, I added one more to it Sabka Vishwas and also Sabka Prayas. There shouldn't be any discrimination in the work done by the government. Be it caste, gender or religion there shouldn't be any discrimination."

"Reservation based on religion is the most dangerous thing. No country can be run in that way. What happens is when I say Muslim, then the whole ecosystem around me says that Modi has mentioned Hindu-Muslim in the elections. Modi didn't bring Hindu-Muslim, it's in your actions that I need to expose you before the country. I must educate the people. If someone alleges me or points out my speech, neither have I spoken anything against Muslims or Islam. I'm speaking against the efforts to destroy the country in the name of secularism," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)