New Delhi: The latest census data on the population of religious groups shows a 24% rise in the Muslim population between 2001 and 2011, with the community's share of total population rising from 13.4% to 14.2% over the 10-year period.
While the growth rate of the Muslim population has slowed from around 29% between 1991 and 2001, it is still higher than the national average of 18% for the decade.
The most rapid rise in the share of Muslims in the total population was witnessed in Assam. Muslims constituted 30.9% of the state's population in 2001 and it has risen to 34.2% a decade later. Assam has been facing the problem of illegal immigration from Bangladesh for last three decades.
Manipur is the only state where the percentage of Muslim population has decreased -- from 8.8% to 8.4%.
West Bengal has also seen a rise in Muslim population from 25.2% in 2001 to 27% in 2011. It is a growth of 1.8 percentage points, more that double the national average for Muslim population (0.8%).
Uttarakhand has also seen rise in the share of Muslim population from 11.9% to 13.9%, a growth of 2 percentage points, between 2001 and 2011.
Other states with a significant rise in the share of Muslims in the total population as per the 2011 census were Kerala (from 24.7% to 26.6%), Goa (6.8% to 8.4%), Jammu and Kashmir (67% to 68.3%), Haryana (5.8% to 7%) and Delhi (11.7% to 12.9%).
The data, published by few local media houses Thursday, is yet to be released officially.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Wednesday said religion-based census data will be released at an "appropriate time".
"The religion-based census data will be released at an appropriate time," he told reporters. "If its been prepared, it will be released."
Comments
| Quick linksNews
National
International
Regional
Politics
Education & Career
Business
Science & Technology
Health
Views & Analysis
The Funny Side
© 2012 Awaz Multimedia & Publications. All rights reserved.
Shail Devi, a frail widow in her early 50s, risking her own life, gave shelter to her Muslim neighbours when a mob of more than 5,000 people attacked Azizpur Bahilwara village after a 20-year-old Hindu boy's body was found Sunday......... More
Also Read: All that remains in Mzaffarpur village are gutted huts, charred belongings
The California eighth-grader has launched a company to develop low-cost machines to print Braille, the tactile writing system for the visually impaired. Tech giant Intel Corp. recently invested in his startup, Braigo Labs. The California eighth-grader has launched a company to develop ... More
The chairman of the council, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani said at a press conference that a man could pronounce one divorce at a time as per the method prescribed by the Shariah, according to a Geo News report....... More
True love of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is manifested by following in his footsteps and supporting his Sunnah, he says
Historians however are unanimous that the Prophet (pbuh) died on 12th of Rabi'ul Awwal. Considering this also any kind of celebrations on the day when the Prophet (pbuh) died is illogical....... More
Also Read: Prophet Muhammad and Human Dignity
But Muhammad Azam Inquilabi is also passionately opposed to any coalition in the state between any regional party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as that would, he says, hurt Kashmir interests........ More
Between the massacre at the premises of Charlie Hebdo and other event that have followed: I became a Muslim, Matic writes on her Faecbook page
With regard to my position towards the caricatures of the Prophet, I will write you the..... More
Challenging the the rampant anti-Islam and anti-Muslim propaganda, a high school student after a visit to a local mosque wrote in his report that he found Muslims the nicest people he had ever met. ..... More