New Delhi: Minister of State Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Monday claimed that "Hindu population" in India was "reducing because Hindus didn't convert people". "Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some other countries around," he wrote on twitter.

However, in subsequent tweets, Rijiju tweeted that "India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom & living peacefully."

Sharing a screenshot on twitter, which purported to show Congress party alleging that BJP was converting Arunachal into a Hindu state, Rijiju made the aforementioned remark.

Hindu population is reducing in India because Hindus never convert people. Minorities in India are flourishing unlike some countries around. pic.twitter.com/W4rZnk1saM — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 13, 2017

Clearing the air later, Rijiju told CNN-News18 that Congress party had made "a very irresponsible statement in Arunachal Pradesh" and he was just "clarifying BJP's position on Congress party's allegations".

Responding to Congress's allegations in successive tweets, Rijiju had said that Congress shouldn't make such "provocative statements". "India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom & living peacefully."

Congress should not make such provocative statements. India is a secular country. All religious groups enjoy freedom & living peacefully. https://t.co/bmpOarAMcJ — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 13, 2017

Launching a scathing attack on Congress Rijiju had asked why Congress was making such "irresponsible statements". "People of Arunachal Pradesh are unitedly living peacefully with each other," he added.