Tackling Islamophobic Population Myths
Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr. S.Y. Quraishi discusses his latest book The Population Myth: Islam, Politics, and Family Planning in India. Dr. Quraishi debunks the myth around exaggerated fears of Muslim numbers, born out of right-wing Islamophobic political propaganda, while also sharing that lack of socio-economic empowerment rather than religiosity fuels higher fertility rates. The Population Myth reveals how the right-wing spin to population data has given rise to myths about the 'Muslim rate of growth', often used to stoke majoritarian fears of a demographic skew. Dr. Quraishi uses facts to demolish these, and demonstrates how a planned population is in the interest of all communities.