Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Muslim population in India is the second largest in the world and that it is only growing in numbers. While responding to a question of violence against Muslims in India and negative western perceptions of India, the Union minister said “India has the second largest Muslim population in the world and that population is only growing in numbers.” The finance minister’s remark came while speaking at the Peterson Institute of International Economics on Free Trade Agreement in Washington.
Contrasting with Pakistan, Sitharaman said, “If there is a perception or in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the State which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, I would ask if will this happen in India, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947 as opposed to Pakistan which was formed at the same time?”
She further gave a reference of Pakistan where many Muslim sects are also subjected to violence by the majority sect.
“Every minority has been dwindling in its number or decimated in Pakistan. Even some of the Muslim sects have also been decimated there, she remarked.
“Whereas, in India, you would find every strand of Muslim doing their business, their children being educated, given fellowships,” the Union minister added.
"Law and order is a state subject, across the board in India if violence is happening to make Muslims get affected itself is a fallacious statement," she said.
"To say its all the blame of government of India, then tell me between 2014 and today, has the population dwindled, has the debts been disproportionately high in anyone particular community," Sitharaman said.