The single specialisation of RSS since 1920s has been sowing hatred and hostility in the Hindu mind against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and, to a lesser degree, Christians.

One of the themes of the anti-Muslim propaganda: the Muslim birth rate is so high that by 2035, Muslims will become the absolute majority in India.

The latest round of demographic propaganda began recently with the exhortation of RSS joint general secretary Dattareya Hosable to Hindus to produce more children to “maintain the demographic balance”.

Upto here it was ok. But soon the RSS website came up with the following canard: “… In 2035, Muslims will become absolute majority in India (total population: 197.7 crore). Conversion, threatening, rioting, slaughtering, terrorism, intrusion, polygamy, avoiding birth control are major tools for Muslims to reach that figure within the said period”.

This is nothing but hate propaganda based on falsehoods. How does threatening, rioting, slaughtering, terrorism and intrusion increase the Muslim population? Where are Muslims threatening, rioting and slaughtering?

Every few years the RSS comes up with this and people regularly explain that this is not the case. According to some extreme scenarios, Muslims may overtake (which is not possible keeping other factors in mind) Hindus in 250 years if one goes by RSS standards. That is 2263, not 2035.

That is not going to happen as the new global trends show. Worldwide Muslim population growth rate is falling and other, formerly stagnant declining populations like Russian, Japanese, French and Israelis are growing steadily. India is no different.

There is a general falling trend in population growth across communities over the last six and a half decades in India. In the earlier years of freedom every woman had seven children, which over the decades became six, five, four, three and two and a half. Muslims have not been different, except marginally. The size of the Muslim family has shrunk drastically, like any other.

The small, virtually insignificant, margin is explained by greater poverty and illiteracy among Muslims. The poor and the illiterate always have more children. In the years ahead Muslim poverty and illiteracy will decrease. So will their population. Their relative population will shrink, not outgrow others.