NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Monday sparked a controversy by posting tweets in which he claimed the population of Hindus was declining in India because Hindus do not convert people. The Minister also stated that minorities were flourishing in India unlike some countries in the region.
“Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some countries around,” the Minister tweeted.In another tweet, Rijiju said, “ Congress should not make such provocative statements. India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom & living peacefully.”
Rijiju was reacting to a newspaper report published from Itanagar and was headlined “Cong says BJP converting Arunachal as Hindu State.”
The minister also posted the clipping of the newspaper report in both of his tweets.
According to the newspaper clipping titled “Cong says BJP converting Arunachal as Hindu State”, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) alleged that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government was trying to convert Arunachal Pradesh into a Hindu state.
The rich tradition and culture of the indigenous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh are at stake under BJP rule, the newspaper report said quoting APCC.
Rijiju is himself a practising Buddhist and hails from Arunachal Pradesh.
Reacting to Rijiju’s statement, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, “MoS Home should remember he is a Minister of India for all Indians not for Hindus only, remember your oath as minister.”