Amritsar, Punjab: Akal Takhat Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has expressed concerns over decline in percentage of Sikh population in Indian subcontinent. As per Census data (2001-2011) released by the government of India on August 25, Sikhs have reported maximum decline in population.
The decadal growth rate in Sikh population was pegged at 24.3 per cent in 1991, which fell to 18.2 per cent in 2001 and further to 8.4 per cent in 2011. The fall in 2001-2011 is 9.8 per cent when compared with the 1991-2001 census — 15.9 per cent in two decades. For Hindus, the decline in growth rate is 3.5 per cent, Muslims 4.9 per cent and Christians 7.1 per cent for 2001-2011.
Giani Gurbachan Singh said that he had been disseminating the Sikh masses with this serious issue from a long time. He said that Sikh masses should seriously think in this regard.