Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that the Hindu population in India fell by 30 crore during the period of foreign invasions.
Speaking at a function here, Adityanath said the Hindu population was 60 crore around the year 1100 but declined to 30 crore by the time India gained independence in 1947.
“It is said that when Muslim invaders first attacked India in 1100, the population of Hindus was 60 crore, but it fell to 30 crore in 1947… tell me, should the population have increased or declined over 800–900 years?” he remarked.
He added that Hindus were not only killed by invaders but also perished from hunger, disease, and repression. “Foreign slavery is like this only,” he said.
The saffron-clad chief minister said India was “exploited” under foreign rule. “Three hundred years back, India had everything… less than half the population depended on agriculture, while the rest were engaged in business and small industries. India’s quality products were popular across the world,” he claimed.
Without naming anyone, Adityanath criticised those who divided the country based on caste, region, or language. “They are still working with the same foreign mentality… they will question the Swadeshi campaign,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to promote local products.