Inter-regional variation in the growth of Muslim population in India: a geographical perspective

Debendra Kumar Nayak, North-Eastern Hill University
Mahasweta Satpati, North-Eastern Hill University
Aparesh Patra, Rolta Thales Ltd

The results of the 2001 Census in India has thrown up important issues pertaining to inter-religious variation in population growth. The results have significant socio-demographic implications for a multi ethnic and multi religious country like India. Any significant alteration in the pattern of population growth easily lends itself to a political interpretation. Relatively high rate of growth among the Muslim population is considered a constraint to achieving demographic transition in India. But this very phenomenon has explosive political meaning too. Higher growth rate among the Muslims in India is often attributed to their abject poverty, illiteracy and low level of modernization. Moreover, a regional analysis in the growth of Muslims vis-a-vis other religious groups explodes many myths associated with political meanings attached to inter-religious growth in population. The paper using regional analysis as a tool understands the issue at hand in the context of its political overtone.