Lucknow, Sep 23 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that the population of Hindus in India fell drastically from around 60 crore in the 12th century to about 30 crore at the time of Independence in 1947 due to the “atrocities of invaders”.
Addressing a state-level workshop on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Swadeshi Sankalp’, the chief minister alleged that the decline of the Hindu population was not just due to killings but also famine, disease and other hardships faced under foreign rule.
“When Islam attacked India for the first time and till around 1100 AD, the Hindu population in the country was nearly 60 crore. By the time India attained Independence in 1947, it had reduced to just 30 crore.
“Tell me, in those 800-900 years, should our population have grown or declined? From 60 crore, we came down to 30 crore,” Adityanath said.
He further said, “The Hindu population did not reduce only because of the atrocities of the invaders, but people also died of hunger, disease and various other forms of torture. This is what foreign subjugation does… the same happened with this country,” he said.
The chief minister claimed that India’s agricultural and economic output also suffered under foreign rule. “Go back 300 years. India’s contribution to the world economy was 25 per cent. India, including today’s Pakistan and Bangladesh, was the number one economic power and the number one producer nation. In agriculture, India had no match,” he said.
Without naming political opponents, Adityanath accused some groups of continuing a “foreign mentality” by dividing society.
“What did India not have? But some people divided us in the name of caste, region and language. Even today, with the same foreign mentality, they are dividing society. They will also raise questions on this Swadeshi campaign,” he said.
Pitching for the adoption of indigenous products, the chief minister said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has widened the scope of Swadeshi.
“Swadeshi is no longer just a slogan, nor is it limited to khadi. From a needle to a ship, from a fountain pen to an aeroplane, production is happening in India under the BJP-led government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the concept of Swadeshi a vast and comprehensive form,” he said.
“Any product made with the sweat of Indian workers and the talent of our youth is Swadeshi for us. ‘Make in India, Made for the World’. It is extremely important that Swadeshi becomes a part of all our lives,” Adityanath added. (PTI)
