PM Modi says it as it is: Dharma needs to survive for humanity to survive

To keep up the positive influence

Dear Readers,

PM Modi made some pertinent observations on the Hindu culture while talking about the decline in the share of Hindu population in India.

It should be a matter of global concern, he said referring to the decline in population of "all-inclusive" Hindu civilisation.

His comment followed the findings of a PM-EAC (Economic Advisory Council) study which analysed the demographic transitions in 167 countries from 1950 to 2015.

India witnessed the biggest decline in the majority population after Myanmar.

• In contrast, the share of the majority population witnessed a surge in India's neighbourhood – Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.

• The trends of minority population’s share are also contrasting – steadily increasing in India and shrinking alarmingly in the neighbourhood.

• In India, Muslim population’s share increased from 9.84% to 14.09% in 2015 – a rise of 43.15%. Similarly, the share of Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists also witnessed an increase.

The “false narratives” of “minorities under threat” are exposed, said PM Modi while talking to Republic Network.

• “As the minority population has gone up by 43 per cent, the wrong narrative has been exposed.”

• Articulating the all-accommodating nature of Hindu civilisation, he said that the world should be concerned about how the Hindu population will increase.

• It is a “great culture” which is “all-inclusive, which is no one's enemy, can somehow keep the world in balance in the future”.

• But it will not be able to have that positive influence if its share declines, he said, reiterating the philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the earth is one family.

The Prime Minister uplifted and detached the issue from parochial communalism with a short but pointed rationale.

• He put it in a larger global humanitarian perspective.

• The decline of a culture that gives identity to more than 15% of humanity will have direct negative consequences for the world.

• It would render humanity amnesic in its collective memory and visionless regards its future.

• The loss won’t be just a cosmetic one – that it would mean wiping off our collective consciousness won’t be an overstatement.

Dharma’s root word dhr̥ means 'to support, to uphold'. It is Dharma that upholds Ṛta – universal cosmic order.

Dharma needs to survive for the sake of humanity!

- Anmol N Jain