Union minister Giriraj now opposes minority status to Muslims

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday stoked another controversy by saying the Muslims in India were not in a minority and hence should not be given such a status.

The minister said the Muslim population in the country was 21 crore, adding it is not proper to treat such a large population as minority.

"A new law should be passed to change their minority status," Singh told the media in Nawada district of Bihar.

"As per the state's official records, their population is 19 per cent of Bihar's 10.5 crore population. Muslims are in a majority in Kishanganj district, with 80 per cent population. But still they are getting minority status," the minister said.

Singh is the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha member from Nawada in Bihar.

On October 24, the minister said Hindus should seriously think of increasing their population in the country by producing more children.

--IANS

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