Muslim population rose by 24% during 2001-11

Muslim population rose by 24% during 2001-11 PTI, New DelhiUpdated: Jan 22, 2015 04:04 IST Anthropologist Anand Vivek Taneja wrote in a recent article that djinn worship in Kotla is socio-politically important for Muslims.(Abhishek Saha/HT Photo) Muslim population in India has grown by 24% between 2001 and 2011 against national average of 18% with the community's representation rising to 14.2% from 13.4% of total population. Among all states in the country, Jammu and Kashmir has the highest Muslim population (68.3%), followed by Assam (34.2%) and West Bengal (27%), according to the census data on the population of religious groups. The growth rate of Muslim population in the country was around 29% between 1991 and 2001. At 24%, the growth rate of Muslim population is higher than the national average of 18% for the decade (2001-11). 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 Bangladeshi for last three decades. A Home Ministry spokesperson said the data is still being compiled by the Registrar General of Census and will be released officially shortly. Manipur is the only state where the percentage of their population has decreased -- from 8.8% to 8.4%. West Bengal, another state where illegal immigration from Bangladesh has been an issue, has also seen a rise in Muslim population from 25.2% in 2001 to 27% in 2011. It is a growth of 1.8% points, more that double the national average for Muslim population (.8%). Uttarakhand has also seen rise in the share of Muslim population from 11.9% to 13.9%, a growth of 2% 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 Registrar General and Census Commissioner, under the Home Ministry, had compiled the data by March 2014, but the previous UPA government held back the release. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said on Wednesday the data could be released soon. Among the Union Territories, Lakshadweep has the highest Muslim population -- 96.2%. Such statistics, experts said, is released within three years of data collection and being 2015, that time-limit has already been exceeded. The last time religion-based data was released in the country was in 2004, which was a record of figures till 2001