Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The Muslim population in India is estimated to be 19.7 crore by 2023, informed Union Minister of Minister of Minority Affairs Smriti Irani, in Lok Sabha. The Muslim community accounted for 14.2% of the total population in census 2011.
According to PLFS data, the literacy rate among Muslims aged seven years and above was 77.7%, and the labor force participation rate stood at 35.1%.
Replying to a question asked by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mala Roy in Lok Sabha, Union Minister of Minister of Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani said that Muslims accounted for 14.2 per cent of the total population according to Census 2011, and said that the government has used this proportion to project total Muslim population share in 2023.
Based on Census 2011 data, the Muslim population was recorded at 17.2 crore. With the country’s projected population in 2023 expected to be 138.8 crore, the government arrived at the estimated Muslim population figure of 19.7 crore using the same 14.2 per cent proportion.
The minister also provided information on various socio-economic indicators for the Muslim community. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in 2021-22, the literacy rate among Muslims aged seven years and above was 77.7 per cent, and the labor force participation rate for all ages stood at 35.1 per cent.
Regarding access to basic facilities, the Multiple Indicator Survey 2020-21 conducted by MoSPI indicated that 94.9 per cent of Muslims reported having an improved source of drinking water, while 97.2 per cent reported access to an improved toilet. Furthermore, 50.2 per cent of Muslim households had purchased or constructed new houses or flats for the first time after March 31, 2014.
However, the reply did not include specific information on population data related to Pasmanda Muslims, as inquired by Mala Roy. The questions also sought details on the socio-economic status of Pasmanda Muslims in the country.
Roy had asked three questions — whether there was any countrywide data on Muslim population as on May 30, whether there was any population data on Pasmanda Muslim with the government, and details of the socio-economic status of Pasmanda Muslims in the country.
Twitter clash between Owaisi & Smriti Irani on ‘semantics’
Meanwhile a Twitter war broke out between AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Union minority affairs minister Smriti Irani over the statistics of the Muslim population in India.
Citing a news report on Smriti Irani’s reply to a question on the population of Muslims in India, in Lok Sabha, Owaisi remarked that even though the Union minister said that the Muslim population ‘won’t exceed 20 crore’, right- wing groups, who he termed as ‘Shakhaputra Sanghis’, believe that India will be a Muslim majority in a few years, and this “evil propaganda demonises Muslims”.
“If they don’t understand basic maths, I hope they at least believe @narendramodi’s govt,” he said.
Irani responded to the Hyderabad MP’s tweet correcting him that the newspaper article doesn’t say ‘won’t exceed’ anywhere. “Sir kindly check the report you have used in the image; it does not use the phrase ‘won’t exceed ‘. I’m sure you don’t want to mislead,” she tweeted.