Mass lower-caste conversions to Islam and Sikhism shrank Punjab’s Hindu majority

Evidence

According to Gopal Krishan (2004, 77–89), in 1881, the Hindus constituted 43.8 per cent of the population, the Sikhs 8.2 per cent and Christians 0.1 per cent. The Muslims, at 47.6 per cent, were well short of an absolute majority. But by 1941, the Muslims were in absolute majority in the Punjab accounting for 53.2 per cent of the total population. The Hindus made 29.1 per cent of the total, the Sikhs 14.9 per cent, Christians 1.9 per cent and others 1.3 per cent. The erosion in the percentage share of the Hindus was caused by the conversion of many Hindus—especially the ‘lower castes’, such as Chuhras, Chamars, Jhiwars and Malis—to Islam, Sikhism and Christianity. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 1093

Categorization

• SHARE: A demographic fact about Punjab’s conversion dynamics that someone deeply into Indian religious demography would appreciate.