Over centuries, percentage of Hindus in the world population has been declining; and, even in independent India, percentage of Hindus in total population has been declining!!!
Percentage of Hindus in total population of India was 84.98% in the 1951 census; 82.7% in 1971; 82.6% in 1981 and 82.41% in the 1991 census. But in the Census Data Online report (tables 23 & 24) (www.censusindia.net), percentage of Hindus in the 1991 census has been revised downwards to 82%.
The 2001 census report is yet to be officially issued. Shri Ramesh Chander Dogra-Urmila Dogra at page 34 of their book `Let us know Hinduism` published by Star Publications (2003) have placed percentage of Hindus in India at 79% only. For this decline, we Hindus have to blame ourselves.
It calls for serious introspection and reappraisal of our socio-religious norms. Whereas Islamic priests (mullah) and Christian priests have been working overtime with missionary zeal to seek new converts so as to increase their demographic weight, Hindu priests (pujaries) unaware of Rigvedic norms of equality by birth and gender equality but armed with Manusmriti have been working hard over last one thousand years to reduce population of Hindus: by making it more and more difficult for a sizeable chunk of Hindus (now called ST/SC/Dalits) to let them remain Hindus with honour and dignity by concocting high caste- low caste syndrome; by not sanctifying widow marriages; and, by not seeking new converts to Hinduism.
Widow marriage is expressly sanctioned under RV(X.40.2), RV(X.18.8) RV(X.18.9), Atharvaveda (IX.5.27-28) and AV(XVIII.3.1-4).
The very concepts of castes by birth, upper/lower castes, superior/inferior castes, outcastes, untouchables, dalits, etc. are expressly prohibited by Rigveda, by Ramayana and by Shrimad Bhagwat Gita. Read More…