Proportion of Hindus Down 3.7 Percent Points Over 50 Years

The proportion of Hindu population in the country declined marginally to 79.8% at the end of 2011, according to Census data released recently, from 80.5% at the end of 2001.

The percentage of Muslim population, on the other hand, increased to 14.2% from 13.4% at the end of 2001, according to Census data.

In absolute numbers, there were 966 million Hindus and 172 million Muslims in the country.

Source: IIPSIndia; Census

FactChecker had earlier reported how the right-wing Hindu organisation, Vishwa Hindu Parishad was organizing Ghar Vapsi (returning home) programmes and triggered a debate on conversions and re-conversions.

Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party and part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, has been very vocal about the issue, as FactChecker reported earlier.

This article has been republished from IndiaSpend.com.