Fact Check: No evidence of 16% rise in Muslim population in Uttarakhand in 2024
The claim that the Muslim population in the State was only 1.5 per cent in 2000 is also inaccurate.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 14 Oct 2024 12:55 PM GMT
Claim: The Muslim community in Uttarakhand made up 1.5% of the total population in 2000. This figure has increased to 16% in 2024.
Fact: This claim is false. According to the 2001 and 2011 Census data, the Muslim population in Uttarakhand was 11.92 per cent in 2001 and 13.95 per cent in 2011. There is no data for 2024, as the 2021 Census was postponed to 2024-2025.
Hyderabad: Several social media users have claimed that the Muslim population in Uttarakhand has seen a significant rise over the years. According to these claims, the community made up 1.5 per cent of the total population in 2000, whereas by 2024, this figure has reportedly increased to 16 per cent.
An X user making the claim wrote, āMuslim Population in Uttarakhand in the year 2000 is 1.5%, in 2024, it is 16%.ā The post is accompanied by a video that discusses the formation of Uttarakhand, highlighting its beauty in the cities, nature and people. The video also mentions that the current Muslim population in the state is 13.95 per cent. (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the Census enumeration originally scheduled for 2021 has been postponed to 2024-25. Additionally, the claim that the Muslim population in the State was only 1.5 per cent in 2000 is also inaccurate.
We conducted a keyword search and found a report by India Today from January 22, 2015, and another by Zee News from September 2, 2024. Both reports mention that Uttarakhandās Muslim population increased from 11.9 to 13.9 per cent, reflecting a growth of 2 percentage points between 2001 and 2011.
An Indian Express report of February 7, 2024, stated that Hindus constitute 82.97 per cent of the population, while Muslims account for a substantial 13.95 per cent as well, as per the 2011 Census.
According to data from official government websites, the 2011 Census shows that Uttarakhandās population increased to 1.01 crores, up from 84.89 lakhs in the 2001 Census. The Stateās Muslim population in 2001 was 10.12 lakhs, making up 11.92 per cent of the total population. By the 2011 Census, the Muslim population had grown to 14.07 lakhs, accounting for 13.95 per cent of the total population, reflecting a clear growth of 2.03 per cent between 2001 and 2011.
Hence, we conclude that both claimsāthe Muslim community making up 1.5 per cent of Uttarakhandās total population in 2000, and this figure rising to 16 per cent in 2024āare false.
