Muslim population goes up in DK too: Census report

Number of Hindus, Christians dip by 1.41 pc, 0.49 pc respectively

Not only in India and Karnataka, but in Dakshina Kannada district too, the percentage of Muslims has gone up, according to the census report and information provided by District Statistical Officer Pradeep D’Souza.

While the number of Hindus in Dakshina Kannada district was 13,01,603 (68.59%) in 2001 census, it went up to 14,03,854 (67.18%) in 2011 census.

Similarly, the number of Muslims and Christians was 4,18,904 (22.07%) and 1,64,982 (8.69%) in 2001 census and it became 5,01,896 (Muslims - 24.02%) and 1,71,398 (Christians - 8.20%) in 2011 census. The remaining 0.6 per cent comprises Sikh (525, 0.93%), Buddist (445, 0.02%), Jain (10,397, 0.5%) and others (138, 0.01%). There were 996 persons (0.05%) who did not wish to mention their religion.
While the population of Dakshina Kannada was 18,97,730 according to 2001 census, it was 20,89,649 as per 2011 census, thus adding 1,91,919 persons in the district in 10 years.

2011 census report

According to 2011 census report, the taluk-wise break up is as follows:

Mangaluru taluk had the highest number of Hindus - 6,40,781 (64.43%) followed by Bantwal - 2,42,240 (61.27%), Puttur - 2,06,201 (71.63%), Belthangady - 1,91,125 (71.69%) and Sullia - 1,23,507 (85.04%), among Hindus in Dakshina Kannada.

On the other hand, according to 2011 census report, Mangaluru taluk had the highest number of Muslims - 2,37,231 (23.85%) followed by Bantwal - 1,28,399 (32.47%), Puttur - 65,357 (22.71%), Belthangady - 51,353 (19.26%) and Sullia - 19,556 (13.47%) among Muslims in Dakshina Kannada dist.

Similarly, according to 2011 census report, Mangaluru had the highest number of Christians - 1,10,833 (11.14%) followed by Bantwal - 23,507 (5.95%), Belthangady - 19,703 (7.39%), Puttur - 15,279 (5.31%) and Sullia - 2,076 (1.43%) among Christians in DK dist.

2001 census report
The taluk-wise break up of 2001 census report is as follows: Mangaluru registered highest number of Hindus - 5,78,182 (65.49%) followed by Bantwal - 2,29,618 (63.51%), Puttur - 1,93,591 (72.76%), Belthangady - 1,79,484 (72.81%) and Sullia - 1,20,728 (85.77%) among Hindus in Dakshina Kannada district.

Among Muslims, Mangaluru taluk registered the highest number - 1,94,093 (21.98%) followed by Bantwal - 1,07,697 (29.79%), Puttur - 56,101 (21.08%), Belthangady - 43,475 (17.64%) and Sullia - 17,538 (12.46%).

Among Christians too, Mangaluru taluk registered the highest number - 1,05,562 (11.96%) followed by Bantwal taluk - 22,862 (6.32%), Belthangady - 18,979 (7.70%), Puttur - 15,174 (5.70%) and Sullia - 2,405 (1.71%).

When the census report of 2011 and 2001 is compared, the percentage of Hindus in Dakshina Kannada has gone down by (-)1.41 per cent, while the population of Muslims has gone up by 1.94 per cent and population of Christians has gone down by 0.49 per cent, informed DSO Pradeep D’Souza.

The taluk-wise comparative per centage of Hindus is as follows: Bantwal (-2.24%), Belthangady and Puttur (-1.12%), Mangaluru (-1.06%) and Sullia (-0.73%).

Similarly, the comparative percentage of Muslims is as follows: Bantwal - (+2.69%), Mangaluru - (+1.87%), Belthangady - (+1.63%), Puttur - (+1.62%) and Sullia - (+1.01%).

The taluk-wise comparative population of Christians too shows negative. Mangaluru - (-0.81%) followed by Puttur - (-0.4%), Bantwal - (-0.38%), Belthangady - (-0.31%) and Sullia - (-0.28%).

National / State figures
According to the 2011 Census data, India’s population in the 2001-2011 period grew by 17.7% to touch 121.09 crore, with Hindus numbering 96.63 crore.

While the Muslim community registered a moderate 0.8 per cent growth to touch 17.22 crore in the 10 year period between 2001 and 2011, up from 13.8 crore, Hindu population showed a decline by 0.7 per cent at 96.63 crore during the period, the census data said.

In Karnataka, the population grew from 5,28,50,562 (2001 census) to 6,10,95,297 (2011 census). The population of Hindus, Muslims and Christians in 2001 census was 4,43,21,279 (83.86%), 64,63,127 (12.23%) and 10,09,164 (1.91%) respectively. Similarly, the population of Hindus, Muslims and Christians in 2011 census was 5,13,17,472 (84%), 78,93,065 (12.92%) and 11,42,647 (1.87%) respectively.