Since 1901, passions have been inflamed after every census that the Hindus are becoming 'a dying race' in India. History is repeating itself in 2004. Those who abuse demography for communal ends do not recognise the facts: in recent years the rate of acceptance of family planning practices has been rising faster among Muslims than among the Hindus and fertility has been falling more rapidly among the Muslims. The articles in this special section examine various aspects of the ongoing controversy.