On India’s population, let the data speak – By Mohd Shahid and Manoj Kumar Jha
The old slogan, “Hum do hamare do, woh panch unke pachchees (We are two, we have two; they are five and have 25)” is probably still potent enough to appeal to popular perceptions of “uncontrolled” Muslim population growth – despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
At a critical juncture, when the states and Union territories in India are experiencing a sharp decline in fertility rates, population laws are back in the conversation. Though there is nothing on “record” that these are specifically for Muslims, the writing on the wall is clear. And it is a travesty, given the facts and figures available from government agencies.
The recently released empirical data from the National Family Health Survey 2019-20 (NFHS-5) for 22 states and Union territories provides that except for three states – Bihar, Manipur and Meghalaya – the fertility rates have gone below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman….
