Dwindling numerical strength of Hindus in Kerala – What lies ahead for us?

It is a matter of great concern that Hindus in Kerala day by day have become weaker and weaker, both numerically and economically. As far as dwindling of numerical strength is concerned, Hindus followed family planning programmes implemented by government sincerely as a national duty to arrest population explosion which witnessed the rise of large number of one-child and two-children families, mostly Hindus, in Kerala. Hindus were in the forefront of these family planning programmes while other communities were reluctant and some of them were totally against these programmes on religious grounds.

the present trend continues, one can safely predict without any exaggeration that the day is not far off when Hindus become a minority in Kerala. Statistics do not lie. In 1901, Hindus in Kerala enjoyed a dominant position with a strength of 68.90% of the total population, while in 2001 the same was dwindled to an alarming 56.28%. Incidentally, as per the UNO’s estimate, the share of Indian religions (mainly Hindu, since other Indian religions like Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, etc. are microscopic minorities) in India by 2050 is likely to be 55.58%. (Refer Religious Demography of India by Centre for Population Studies, Chennai).

Everyone has acknowledged Kerala as a leader in stabilizing population growth. But the question is at whose expense the object has been achieved? The figures speak volumes. Pseudo-secularists and self-styled intellectuals whose tribes can be found abundantly In Kerala might see nothing wrong in the decreasing number of Hindus, but, for the people who believe in true democracy and secularism this is a warning bell. It is high time we revisit the entire issue of population control. We must demand in the best interest of our nation that family planning/population control be followed/implemented strictly by one and and all irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It is high time we, Hindus, understand the importance of numbers.

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