Muslim population increased, Hindus declined in India: Census data on religion

NEW DELHI (Web Desk) - The Muslim community has registered a moderate 0.8 per cent growth to touch 17.22 crore in the 10-year period between 2001 and 2011, up from 13.8 crore, while Hindu population showed a decline by 0.7 per cent at 96.63 crore during the period, according to the latest census data on religion.

While the census figure on religion was released on Tuesday, more than four years after compilation of the data, the caste data is yet to be made public, Times of India reported.

RJD, JD(U), SP, DMK and some other parties have been asking the government to release the caste census figure. The data on socio economic status of the population was released on July 3.

As per the religious census data of 2011, released by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner on Tuesday, the total population in the country in 2011 was 121.09 crore.

Hindu population is 96.63 crore (79.8 per cent); Muslim 17.22 crore (14.2 per cent); Christian 2.78 crore (2.3 per cent); Sikh 2.08 crore (1.7 per cent); Buddhist 0.84 crore (0.7 per cent); Jain 0.45 crore (0.4 per cent), other religions and persuasions (ORP) 0.79 crore (0.7 per cent) and religion not stated 0.29 crore (0.2 per cent).

The proportion of Muslim population to total population has increased by 0.8 percentage point (PP) in 2011, the census data said.

The proportion of Hindu population to total population in 2011 has declined by 0.7 PP; the proportion of Sikh population has declined by 0.2 PP and the Buddhist population has declined by 0.1 PP during the decade 2001-2011.

There has been no significant change in the proportion of Christians and Jains.

As per 2001 census, India's total population was 102 crore of which Hindu population comprised of 82.75 crore (80.45 per cent) and Muslims were 13.8 crore (13.4 per cent).

The growth rate of population in the decade 2001-2011 was 17.7 per cent. The growth rate of population of the different religious communities in the same period was as Hindus: 16.8 per cent; Muslim: 24.6 per cent; Christian: 15.5 per cent; Sikh: 8.4 per cent; Buddhist: 6.1 per cent and Jain: 5.4 per cent.

The distribution is total population by six major religious communities namely, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain besides 'Other Religions and Persuasions' and 'Religion not stated'.