As per the 2001 census, population of Delhi was 1.675 crore or 16.75 million.
The complete religious population of the census 2011 was not released for four years and has only now been announced (in 2015).
This data includes state wise population of Muslims in India.
The latest census figure reveals that Delhi has 21.6 lakh or 2.16 million Muslims in 2011. Four years have passed and the figure would be even more by now. Though this is not too big a figure, the reality is that crossing 20 lakh mark, is important.
Ten years ago, in 2001 census, the population of Delhi was 1.37 crore or 13.7 million, the Muslim population was then 1.6 million or 16 lakh. So, there has been a 33% rise in Muslim population in India's capital in a decade. At this rate, it would be 3 million or 30 lakh by 2021.
For centuries, Delhi was a predominantly Muslim city but partition of the country, changed its demography. Lakhs of Muslims migrated to Pakistan. This migration continued for decades. As a result, Delhi's Muslim population fell down.
Among the four metros (metropolitan) cities, Delhi's Muslim population and percentage had reached the lowest, even below 5%. But later on, migration from Muslim majority areas of Western Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, apart from neighbouring Mewat (Haryana) and Rajasthan, increased it.
Other than Old Delhi, there are now dozens of Muslim pockets and neighbourhoods in India's capital. The National Capital Region (NCR) clearly has a visible Muslim presence and it is clear on the streets too.
Delhi was always one of the most important Muslim cities in the world. For nearly 800 years, it was the seat of one of the biggest Islamic empires of the world. Today, the Muslim population in Delhi is growing, on way towards the 25 lakh figure (2.5) million.
