Bad economy can't make people see reason, turn them 'humane': Can't checkmate communalism with this bogus theory

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

In wake of Haryana 'maha panchayat'--a huge gathering in support of those arrested for lynching a youth, I must say that the belief that recession, unemployment and failing economy will change people for good and make them see reason, is  wrong. 

Ideological turn is not easy despite financial hardships. There were hate speeches openly given at this conclave, and also the threats. 

This shocking episode was followed by silence of top leaders, politicians and lack of coverage in TV channels and 'mainstream' newspapers. Let's talk about it, point wise.

 1. Who propounded this 'theory' that when people are suffering or they are in a financially bad situation, they will become wise and humane and stop reacting to propaganda? It's a bogus and false theory that has no basis.

2. What history tells us? Where was it seen or learnt?  Is is that you just don't want to accept the level of radicalisation in society and hence make it up! Spare us the gyan that 'economic crises' or unemployment will change situation.

3. False. It's not about poor or rich. People can be manipulated by the constant false narrative that they are superior to others. Or through circulation of dangerous ideas like 'certain groups are encroaching, gaining strength, our misery due to them'. 

4. Daily dose of hate & bigotry, poison spread by their men on the ground and through many other mediums like WhatsApp, is an addiction. Pitting people against another section been witnessed, so many times! 

5. Polls or no polls, this never stops. Just because you don't want to see the mirror, don't want to accept the reality, the level, you try to give yourself and others a false hope that, 'people would get tired of this communalism one day, that when they don't have jobs they will realise'. Then, even more easy to sway!

6. Despite restrictions, tens of thousands gather in support of those who lynched a man, and listened to such hateful speeches. After Asif was lynched, tens of thousands gathered, defying Coronavirus restrictions, in support of the lynching accused. How many editorials were written on the situation Haryana? 

7. Most of the TV channels, newspapers avoid reporting, but to ignore this level of right-wing support on ground, hate speeches shows the horrific situation in the media. Clearly, this is because they are part of it, do not accept the rot. Cunningly conceal, give spin. Accomplice!

8. It's now understood well. To say that these are 'diversions' or 'eye on elections' is nothing but an attempt to hide, your inability to speak on it. That's not diversion because elections or no elections, lynchings and forcing youth to raise certain slogans, beating them or targeting Muslims, continues.

9. It's cowardice--politicians, intellectuals, journalists who are all silent on this. As if they don't know the extent of the real project and its aims. As far as many centrist and liberal journalists in India. How they whitewash, it's last point.

10. Many of them always divert by saying, 'ah, fringe'. When it's not possible as too many fanatics seen, they keep mum or act like 'sages', giving advice--ignore.  Or write by balancing, bringing others. Not more expected. No question of 'acceptance', that a major problem exists. 

Without hard work on ground or real movement, society can't change on its own. Once there is ideological shift to such an extent due to propaganda for decades, it can't be 'humanized' on its own. Either a big leader is needed or a revolution. 

A comedian did not utter a joke but was arrested and jailed because cops felt he 'might crack a joke'. However, those who deliver extremely inflammatory speeches, threaten and lynch, don't face prompt or harsh action.

So it all depends on the side of the fence--whether action will be taken or not. Those who spread false info and rumours social media or share fake info that has potential to damage harmony are not touched due to their links in the ecosystem.

It has reached the stage where 'system' is compromised. A slogan that was never made can send youths to jails under harsh sections. But hate speeches that are recorded in gatherings and aired, don't lead to action. Cops later say,  'we are verifying'. 

READ: Failing economy doesn't turn society rational or make people shed bigotry

Media working as agent of right-wing: Inter-faith marriages are hailed when groom is Hindu, targeted if groom is Muslim

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Media houses that take up active role in case of inter-religious marriages when groom is Muslim & create havoc with inflammatory reports, suddenly turn liberal when a Hindu man marries a Muslim girl & term it 'breaking shackles of religion. 

These are clear double standards. They hail any marriage in which a Muslim girl marries a Hindu man, but if a Muslim man marries a Hindu girl, it is termed 'Love Jihad' and there is not just strong condemnation but law misused to target the couple. 

This is exactly the stand of the far right-wing that was termed 'fringe' till now, as they considered it a sort of 'victory'. However, media houses too follow the same strategy and this is something that needs to be understood.

Above, the news reports show two instances of inter-faith marriages in two states, published in different Hindi papers. In both the cases, Muslim girls married Hindu boys through Hindu rituals. And, the papers praise the act. 

In case, groom is Muslim, papers create so much hatred using the word 'Love Jihad' that not just groom, his family also suffers. Either you support all inter-faith marriages or none. Here, Hindi papers become 'Hindu papers', who write in order to send the message to the society that Hindus should bring Muslim brides and if a Muslim groom gets a Hindu bride, they ought to be punished.

Here, journalists take up the role of agents of right-wing and wear identity and religion on their sleeve. They are not journalists, they are not just some unethical people or involved in false reporting. In fact, they have been preparing the ground for fascists to take over the society, by dividing people. 

It is media, many journalists in these newsrooms who work as mercenaries of hate and spread poison in society. It is they who are responsible for communalism & hate that results in assaults, false cases, lives getting lost.  

And, it doesn't stop at marriages. For decades, they have been injecting this slow poison from newsrooms--injecting communalism, hate, distrust of other community, and doing their job with zealousness & doing it cleverly. In ordinary reports, not easy to spot how twists are given.

They have innumerable ideas, if 'Love Jihad' propaganda gets a bit too much to handle, they will come with another. The problem is this level of indoctrination that makes 'journos' misuse their power to spread hate, put harmony of country at stake, is ignored.

Every story gets twisted, based on these biases. This is the gutter level to which Indian Journalism has fallen into.  They will never share data, statistics, just mislead society.  There was one radio station in Rwanda, but we've innumerable media houses, packed with such people peddling this agenda of hate, under the garb of 'journalism'.

READ: How newspapers, TV channels in India create the bogey of 'Love Jihad' 

Communalism in Indian Media: How Hindi newspapers, regional media created 'Love Jihad' bogey

When a Muslim youth changed his name & embraced Hinduism, the papers praised the act and write--religion no bar, love wins. 

Otherwise, even if there is no conversion & just a girl and boy with different faiths, marry, it's termed 'Love Jihad' & crime & conspiracy. 

More than politicians, it's the local media that is responsible for communalizing, spreading poison & hate. 

Strange it may seem to an outsider, but this entire campaign and propaganda against inter-faith marriages gets real push from media. 

In fact, most of the times, even if politicians want to avoid after a couple of days, the guys with the mike would insist and still ask the same question again & again, coming across the politician at his bungalow, at a meeting, on way to a public event, at Airport, or anywhere else.

If you want to seriously write about inter-faith marriages, you can get annual figures of your district, but no newspaper would even do this much. They will just peddle propaganda, theories and conspiracies. Not information from data regarding marriages under Special Marriage Act, records in the Collectorate. 

But the level of journalism is such that any marriage in which it's a Hindu girl marrying a Muslim boy, it gives heart burns to journos, and they on their own start mentioning that it is a case of 'Love Jihad', though the term has no legal basis.

India's investigating agencies have said it that there is no such concept and even a Union minister made it clear in the Parliament. However, the right-wing agenda continues. A 'Hindu girl going to a Muslim boy' is taken as a case of 'defeat', irrespective of the fact that many Muslim girls too marry Hindu boys.

Just see how without data or statistics, propaganda makes people believe that there are more marriages and 'our girls' are being snatched. And, all such theories, conspiracies get legitimized through newsrooms in regional papers. If you're in a newsroom, you have a responsibility.

In a society, where there are people from diverse sections, there will always be some inter-faith marriages. If you even want to debate it in a secular state, at least, talk on figures. But this is not even mentioned in papers. 

The journalists become representative of not just a religion, they take upon themselves the task to do moral policing, act like right-wing fringe and flag-bearers of majoritarian fascism, blaming Muslims and giving this shameful perception that 'Muslims deliberately lure Hindu girls' or as if 'Hindu girls are eager to go to Muslim boys' (sic).

How to fight fake news, media misinformation, hate speech and communal propaganda: Islamophobia in India and Indian Media

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

The level of hate, misinformation and fake news has reached such an alarming stage that it has left a large section of society, stunned.

Many people have the standard reply that it is better not to watch TV news or avoid reading papers, but dissociating or boycott doesn't lead to any solution, as the propaganda is reaching masses and will continue to affect you (us).

Besides, the sad aspect is that people who suffer because of it, have almost given up without a fight. I will give some hints in this post. The level hasn't gone up suddenly, it has reached here, in almost two decades, and unfortunately, there is no seriousness to tackle it.

Long long ago, media houses would be wary of publishing anything sensationalist, particularly, about a community, as they felt there would be reaction. But the situation changed over a period and they realised there was never any reaction, even if they came out with a 'fake fatwa' story or blamed any Muslim institution without any reason.

Neither these institutions sent defamation notices despite clear evidence and being on strong wicket, nor there were court cases or complaints to commissions. From 2006-2008 onwards, situation worsened but still people didn't wake up.

By 2012-14, Zee and Times Now were turning vicious. Yet, no steps were taken. Steadily in another five-six years, the situation has reached this level. While people like Pratik Sinha came up with Alt News, and other fact-checkers came up to debunk propaganda, [at least, with limited resources, they are giving a fight] what has been the community response?

The institutions---Deoband to Nadwa, the Khanqahs from Ajmer to Bareilly, they were all targeted. But none even takes it seriously. Imagine, an institution is termed 'terror factory' and in this case, it has to take it up not others because it has been defamed, still, there is no action.

So if either a BJP leader terms Deoband 'Aatankwad ki Gangotri' or a paper writes about a seminary and equates madarsas as breeding grounds of extremists or publishes false baseless stories like unfurling a flag of another country on campus, that hurt communal harmony and lead to hate, there is still no response.

Can't you do the most basic and simple task--some people joining hands to form a 'Media Monitor' at state or city level and ensure that any false news or one-sided story, gets the rebuttal and a proper statement is released, demanding apology, and the statement should be sent to all other media houses, apart from putting it up on social media.

It will take some time but this needs to be done diligently. And, it doesn't need funds to do it. This is just one of the most basic and proper ways (among the many ways). In Europe-USA, organisations record media disinformation, hate speeches, Islamophobia though Muslims form a minuscule population. Unfortunately, in India, there is not even a will to do it.

You may not believe but just a sustained effort over a period--six months, one year, will change it at least in your state. Those who monitor gain upper hand but it needs a bit of seriousness, discipline and at least 15-30 minutes effort daily or a weekly standard procedure--writing letters, issuing statements, phone calls, things you learn as you work.

Besides, if a paper is publishing reports that incite passions or headlines are inflammatory, you need to act as a citizen and must write letter to officials urging them to take action against paper or channel for disrupting harmony. But again, more important is releasing this letter in public, press and social media.

Besides, there is no understand of how media functions--people feel that less viewership or boycott of works though they don't even know that news print cost is so high that papers now prefer lesser circulation & if you don't watch it doesn't mean hate is not being spread--the videos of the TV channel debates and news go to FB, Twitter and WhatsApp, and from there they are shared.

Those who have an interest and take up the task, get recognition as well as satisfaction. These are the most basic things, any community or group is expected to do. But even this work--documentation, recording instances of discrimination and media monitoring is just missing among us.

Remember, there are ways, and a sustained fight can change situation but there is no willingness, interest or vision. And a mindset that refuses to believe that things can be changed if you do it in a planned way.

Also, read these articles published on this site earlier:

READ: India's media's right-wing, Islamophobic shift, is it irreversible?

READ: World must wake up how TV channels spreading Nazi-level propaganda in India

READ: How Twitter gives free run to online hate peddlers in India

Power of Propaganda: How lies about Hindu-Muslim population in India, Pakistan post-partition are considered 'true'

The power of propaganda is such that people don't even think twice before peddling fake information and rather than facts, rely on WhatsApp forwards.

To say that Hindus-Sikhs formed 23% population in Pakistan and in the last seventy odd years they have reduced to 1.6% is just one of the several such false stories that are fed daily to people.

It is like someone saying that Punjab had 53.2% Muslims before partition and now there are not even 2% Muslims in Punjab. No, this was the population of undivided Punjab, not Indian Punjab and after partition Muslims left from this state, just like Hindus and Sikhs came to India from Sindh and Punajb in Pakistan.

This figure of 23% includes West and East Pakistan, Bangladesh got separated in 1971. The truth is that Hindus were 1.3% in Pakistan (this part, that was earlier called Western Pakistan) in 1951. The population has seen an increase to 1.85%.

The Hindu population in present day's Pakistan [West Pakistan] was 1.3% in 1951, 1.4% in 1961 and 1.6% in 1998. Now it is around 1.85%. You can check NewsLaundry report too for the statistics in this regard.

This is close to percentage of Sikhs in India. In India, percentage of Sikh and Christian population has been going down. But this is due to different factors. In Jammu, Muslims formed a majority before partition but now they are a minority because of the killings that are less talked about.

Propaganda, falsehoods are spread with a motive, they help parties in their agenda. It is aimed at justifying hate against Muslims in India and pushing Islamaphobia further, so that victimhood could be instilled in Hindus & this hate can fetch votes.

Statistics are available but little attention is paid. Who cares when you have info reaching your inbox, the Whatsapp messages or the forwards. But facts are sacred. And every country must take care of its minorities.

WhatsApp Wakes up: After lynching incidents, sets off ad campaign to 'spread happiness, not falsehoods'

WhatsApp has finally woken up from its slumber.

It has begun a campaign--Khushiyaan baantiye, Afwaahein nahin.

If translated from Urdu to English, it says--spread happiness, not falsehoods.

After rumours and false propaganda was spread on this platform for long, it has apparently bowed to pressure.

Government of India had also asked it to contain the spread of hate and rumours that resulted in incidents of lynchings.

The rumours about cow or gangs on the prowl to abduct kids, had led to attacks, lynchings and even deaths.

A techie was killed in Karnataka. In fact, many other such serious incidents of law-and-order failure took place because of WhatsApp and the rumours spread through the platform.

Inside WhatsApp groups, people share content with like minded people or friends-families. Apart from Facebook, it is another major platform that can let any content go viral within a few hours.

Hence, there is need for more responsibility on part of WhatsApp. It has taken it years for the social media giant to run such an advertisement campaign. Now it is on TV and is also visible at other places.

Quite late. Had they been vigilant earlier, it may have saved lives. If people are aware that they may be caught, they are more cautious. In fact, WhatsApp need to do even more and be strict with people who spread false messages and share fake news.

Indian Media's Hall of Shame: TV channels airing fake news to spread propaganda, fan communal hatred, divide society

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi 

It is not easy to describe what is happening in India [and Indian media] right now.

Top media houses that were once considered trustworthy and had set standards of journalism, have fallen into disgrace.

They not only promote fake news, shamelessly, but reward journalists who fan hatred through fake stories based on rumours, morphed photos or tweets of parody accounts.

TV anchors seem to be hell-bent on destroying communal harmony and tearing apart the social fabric of the country. The focus is not on news but on propagating falsehoods and spreading hate.

Ethics have been thrown off the window. Any false claim can be made and any incident can be twisted to suit the agenda. This is happening in the world's biggest democracy, round the clock.

Each and every day, several anchors on half-a-dozen Hindi-English TV channels are trying to outdo each other in how much fake news they can spread and how much they could do to divide Indian society on religious lines.

This is just unbelievable. Till a few years ago, one couldn't even imagine that Indian media would fall to such levels. Journalists who refuse to toe the line are being shown the door. However, those who spread venom day in and day out, are getting rewarded.

These channels have been demonizing Muslims. And the result is that there have been murders all over the country. Right-wing fanatics like Shambhu Bhawani burnt a man dead and shot his video.

Even after dozens of hate crimes and killings like that of Akhlaq, Pahlu Khan and Junaid, these channels continue to spread hate. This is an organised propaganda war that is being run from TV studios.

It all started with Times Now, the news channel of Times of India group. During the UPA tenure, it was known for anti-establishment line. But once BJP government came to power, it stopped questioning the government.

The focus was now on Army, patriotism, Hindu-Muslim issues. Soon, it was playing up non-issues, spreading hatred and focusing on divisive issues.

After Arnab Goswamy's exit, another such channel was born--Republic.

Aroon Purie's India Today already had anchors who were trying to outdo Arnab.

Soon, they were also given a free hand. Initially, they tried to maintain some balance with one or two anchors trying to be moderate but the mask fell, quickly.

Of course, Zee News was doing for long. In fact, it was the first channel that openly started airing motivated and fictional reports.

Zee News was instrumental in stoking communal passions with its reporting on Kairana.

It falsely claimed that there was a Hindu exodus. This style was later picked up by other 'respected channels' too.

A petition urging Information and Broadcasting Ministry to ban Zee News, was also launched.

Thousands signed the petition, then. In those days, Zee News was the lone channel that was blatantly doing it. LINK 1 and LINK 2

It didn't take much longer. Other channels too followed it, within the next couple of years.

Thanks to AltNews that exposes propaganda and fake reports, we have a compilation, umpteen examples on a regular basis, how hate and propaganda are being peddled in the form of news.

India Today: Gold plated journalism: India Today and fake news
Times Now: A compilation of Times Now’s experiments with untruth
Aaj Tak: One tale, two narratives, reportage on Kasganj violence

Its Hindi version, Aaj Tak, has no dearth of such anchors whose sole job seems to fan hatred between communities, chiefly Hindus and Muslims. Rather than questioning government on its failures, the channels try their best to 'divert attention by setting agenda'.

Subhash Chandra, an icon! In a way, he was an icon. He was the person who set up the first TV channel after the state owned Doordarshan. Zee was a pioneering venture and though Chandra's proximity with BJP was known, the channel has

Their favourite topics are same--Kashmir, Muslims, Love Jihad, Triple Talaq, Patriotism, Army, JNU, Fatwas (even if there is none issued) just to name a few. Those called for debates are also people who can shout the loudest and suit their agenda.

When people may be dying of encephalitis in UP or farmers committing suicide in Central India due to crop loss, they shift focus by setting agenda on the basis of 'fake video clips or tweets' and turn studios on fire.

These TV channels can go to any extent to further their agenda. The aim is take forward the narrative of the right-wing extremists. During the recent communal riot in Kasganj, news agencies and TV channels (their editors) were acting like propagandists.

A person who was not on the spot was claimed to be dead to whip up communal frenzy. Within a few years, Indian media has seen this transformation. Initially, it appeared that certain anchors were doing it, on their own. But soon it was clear that the owners are responsible.

Owners are complicit and this has been proved time and again. An anchor who was arrested on extortion charges and sent to jail, has been promoted and given a free run (to spread propaganda and hatred) for years at Zee News.

When an India Today group journalist tweeted that anchors were allowed to whip up communal frenzy without even naming any person or group, India Today group sacked her.

It is clearly visible that the owners are complicit in this organised campaign. There is no attempt to stop this propaganda. However, in process, they have fallen from grace, lost all respect and ensured the death of credibility of the 'mainstream media' in India.

Media honchos seem to have sold their souls. Media has been reduced to completely take focus off pressing issues and divert attention towards non-existent issues by fanning communal hatred. Perhaps, it suits government. This is all too evil and sinister to say the least.

But one positive thing has come out of it. All masks have fallen. Sab mukhaute utar gaye. Aur sab ki credibility ka kriya-karm ho gaya.

READ: World must Wake Up: Indian TV channels, media houses, anchors involved in Nazi-style propaganda against Muslims

Tendency to believe rumours, false propaganda is worrying: From Facebook hoaxes to propaganda during communal tension, riots

Why do we so easily believe rumours [afwah], false information, especially, those that talk about something bad, without demanding any proof.

For weeks, the hoax [two different ones] about FB privacy settings continued to circulate and people readily believed them, without even asking anyone, questioning or reading the articles that clearly said that this is hoax & denied by Facebook.

Even today, people keep posting the 'notices' about their privacy. Why do we fall for wrong information, propaganda, news about some impeding doom, so promptly?

Is it about our society? Or something about human mind. Just like in times of communal tension, many believe firmly whatever rumours that circulate.

Worst propaganda is readily accepted as truth while reality in front of your eyes, you ignore and doesn't hit you hard enough to make an impression on mind.

In this case, where people feared that Facebook would bypass their security and privacy settings to reveal their photographs, they should have realised that even if it were true, posting such content on your timeline won't help.

Facebook won't be reading individual posts and IT WAS NOT A PETITION, signing which would be understandable. Still, either on the streets or social media, people react strangely, believing things without verifying or checking.

Don't fall prey to rumours during communal tension

I remember, long back during a communal riot, there was a rumour that girls of one community were targeted and their breasts were severed by members of other community.

The rumour was readily believed by the sanest people. In every household people were talking about it and it circulated in both communities, who believed that an incident had occurred and both felt that victims were 'their girls' and 'assailants were other'

Does human brain fall for dark things & is more prone to believing untrue, far-fetched, things?

Raebareli man writes to President, complaining that Zee TV is spreading communal hatred in country, demands ban on channel

A man from Raibareli has written a letter to President Dr Pranab Mukherjee, demanding action on Zee TV.

The man--Mahdi Hasan Aini Qasmi, has written that Zee TV has been spreading hatred through its news stories, which is affecting communal harmony.

Qasmi has mentioned that some TV channels are indulging in vicious propaganda that is affecting the country.

But he has mentioned Zee TV specifically in the complaint. The letter in Hindi is attached with his email that has been sent to several media houses and journalists.

In India's democratic setup, the President may not order such an action, but Qasmi, who is pained with the coverage of TV channel, has written to the head of the state and the highest constitutional post in the country.

Zee TV has been facing flak for its coverage for quite sometime. Thousands have already signed the petition to ban Zee TV for airing 'biased and misleading journalism'.

READ: Petition demanding a ban on ZEE TV for 'biased and misleading journalism'

Qasmi's letter and its loose translation is here:

LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Honourable,

I am an Indian Muslim, my ancestors sacrificed their lives for freedom of the country.

 I belong to Nasirabad village in Raibareli, where people from each house participated in independence movement.

We tell the whole world with great pride that we are Indian Muslims. Whenever there is a threat to nation's integrity, we are ready to give our lives for the security of the nation.

Right now, attempts are being made to stoke communal passions in the country. Media has a role in vitiating the communal atmosphere and Zee TV is leading the pack, having taken up the task to spread falsehoods and hatred.

Such TV channels are weakening the foundation of our country, with their anti-national acts and their aim is to break the secular fabric of the country, by targeting the Ganja-Jamuni culture of the country.

These channels bring a bad name to the fourth estate. I urge  you to take cognisance of this complaint and order a ban on Zee News. Such a channel that spreads lies and wants to throw the nation into fires of communal hatred has no place in our country.

Mahdi Hasan Aini Qasmi,
Nasirabad, Raebareli (UP)

RSS wants Hindus to have more children: Shouldn't Sangh leaders take up real issues like female foeticide rather than perpetuating old myths?

Once again the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh [RSS] has urged Hindus that more children should be produced, in order to check the demographic imbalance.

Did anyone call it fatwa or a diktat? How many TV channels found RSS joint secretary Dattatreya Hosbale's comments as controversial?

Has there been strong criticism on editorial pages in mainstream newspapers? This is not the first time that RSS leaders have said that Hindus need to produce more kids.

For them, Hindus are the 'victim'. The bogey of 'Muslim population rise' or 'Ham Panch-Hamare Pachchis' are used by RSS to portray Muslims in bad light.

Not only that the statement aims at driving wedge among religious communities, the fact is that it is truly regressive in nature.

Shouldn't RSS turn itself into a forward looking organisation?

The reason is that if RSS been a forward looking organisation, it would stop looking at things from the Hindu Vs Muslim. In that case it should have urged middle-class Indians [mostly Hindus] to stop female foeticide [and infanticide] to control the fascination for 'baby boy'.

It is this gender imbalance that is really threatening Hinduism [and India]. There are vast regions where there are less than 800 girls for 1,000 boys. Even the upper class and middle-class want the 'baby boy'. If the first child is a girl, many go for second, in the hope to have a boy.

This 'sickness' needs to be fought. Strangely, RSS leaders never tell their followers how Hinduism has been growing much faster over the last century in the world. While Islam has grown fast after 1900, overall population of Hindus in the world, has also gone up significantly, even as Christianity and other religions have now lost the pace.

As far as rise in Muslim population in India is concerned, it is not a very unusual phenomenon. The minority [Muslim] rate of growth is quite close to Dalits. Clearly, economic reasons and social backwardness are the cause behind the high birthrate.

Muslim growth rate in Kerala, Tamil Nadu much less than in UP, Bihar

In states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Muslims have a growth rate of much less than 20% per decade, which is less than the growth rate of Hindu population in India in many other states of North India.

UP and Bihar have overall bigger families. No wonder, fertility rates are higher among Muslims in these states.

Secondly, there is no open opposition to family planning among Muslims, and they have adopted it widely.

As Muslims go up on socio-economic indicators, they also tend to have smaller families, just like rest of the Indians.

As per 2001 census, the overall population grew by 21.5% in India in the previous decade. Muslim decadal population grew by a mere 13.7% in Tamil Nadu and 15.8% in Kerala [from 1991 to 2001].

These states have a higher Muslim literacy rate and here Muslims are financially better-off. In contrast, Hindu population increased by 28.7% in Punjab, 24.7% in Karnataka and 23.4% in Bihar.

How do you explain that? Now there will be critics who would say that if Muslims grew by 13.7% in Tamil Nadu in the decade, the decennial Hindu growth was just 11%.

The problem is that when the Hindu growth rate is seen, they don't take into account the growth rate of backwards and Dalits, whose population growth is comparable to Muslims.

For example, you can't expect to compare Iyers or Iyengars' decadal rise in population with Dalits or even Vanniyars. If you have to at all compare then do it with the socially upward Muslims. Else, consider Muslims also as a social group and then look at them with their growth rate.

The right comparison would be Muslim population rise vis-a-vis increase in population of social groups that have similar earning, living conditions and socio-economic backwardness.Statistics clearly reveal that Muslim population rate is falling in India and would stabilise in a few decades.

The difference of population growth rates is narrowing down fast. Far from becoming majority or even 25%, it will take centuries before they even reach the figure of 20% in India.

Perpetuating old myths: Fact is that Muslims are least polygamous in India

For decades, right-wing groups have made similar claims. Take for example, the charge of polygamy. Census clearly reveals that the practice of polygamy was highest among Adivasis, Jains, Buddhists and Hindus. Muslims came last as far as prevalence of the practice was concerned.

See LINK and LINK. This is despite the fact that polygamy is legal for Muslims and unlawful for Hindus. But this is not highlighted or even mentioned. Tell a lie a thousand times and people tend to believe it. Senior RSS and BJP leaders often make attacks on Muslims about being more polygamous.

In December 2005, the then RSS chief [sarsanghchalak] KS Sudharshan had also urged the majority community in a similar manner. He said that 3-4 children per couple would keep the 'changing religious demography' in control.

Just imagine had any other religious community [like a Muslim cleric from Nadwatul Ulema or Deoband] made such a statement, what would have happened?

There would have been wide condemnation, politicians and activists gunning for him and effigies burnt.

TV channels would have continued debates for days. But in the case of RSS, it was simply ignored even though the 'cultural organisation' has huge impact and has a cadre strength of tens of lakhs.

If the RSS leaders take up real issues that affect the nation, they would be taken more seriously. It may also strike chord with the young generation. However, they remain stuck in regressive rhetoric. Sangh also needs to look at itself.

Shouldn't the swayam-sevaks [volunteers] shun celibacy and marry, in order to increase the numbers of Hindus? Though its their personal issue but I wrote about it as they often find faults with Muslims. Mustn't they also take the blame? Had the RSS workers for several generations [who have been observing celibacy] married and had families, then there would have been lakhs of more Hindus.

Link: Dattatreya Hosbale exhorts Hindus to have more children