sikh children 2CHANDIGARH, Punjab (September 6, 2015)—Statistics of the census of 2011 on the basis of religion has pushed the Sikh leaders and intellectuals into a deep vacuum of worry. According to reports availed by the Indian Ministry, the growth rate of the Sikh population had declined by 9.8% in a decade. In 2001, the growth rate was 18.2% but the census of 2011 recorded it 8.4%. The population of Sikhs constituted 1.9% of India’s population in 2001 which fell to 1.7% in 2011.
Similarly in Punjab, the population of Sikhs showed a 2.2% fall dropping from 59.9% to 57.7% from 2001 to 2011. Conversely, the population of Hindus grew from 36.9% to 38.5% in Punjab from 2001 to 2011.
In Chandigarh, a 3% fall in the population of Sikhs has been noticed during a decade. While in Delhi and Haryana, it is 0.6%.
Migration of Sikhs from India to Western countries and literacy are being considered as the reasons behind this fall in population.
While talking to correspondent of Sikh24, member of SGPC’s executive committee S. Karnail Singh Panjoli said that financial condition, psychology and literacy are the main factors that have direct impact on population control. He added that these three factors has lowered the population growth rate which is not a matter of worry as it is happening with all communities globally.
Another SGPC member S. Didar Singh Nalwi said that migration of Sikhs from India to western countries and awareness about the division of assets among children had caused this fall of growth rate of population of Sikhs. He added that Sikhs need to emphasize on producing role models for a healthy society so that more and more non-Sikhs could take inspiration from their work and get motivated to join Sikhism. He said that producing more children would not make it sure that they will adopt Sikhism.  SIKH24 EDITORS