(Samaj Weekly)- The preliminary results of 2021 census of Britain has gradually started unfolding. It is widely expected to raise some critical eye opening issues compelling the government and policy makers to change directions to tackle some of the problems envisaged or high lighted in the foreseeable future. The total population of England and Wales on March 2021 census day was 59,597,300 as compared to 56,075,912 as of 2011 census.
According to the (ONS) office of national statistics the indigenous Christian population is now 27.5m reduced from 33.3m equivalent to 13.1% as compared to 2011 census. The next surprisingly the highest category of people is of those who declared no religion or atheists had gone up from 27.2m to 37.2m.an increase of 25.2% as compared to 2011 census. There appeared to be a rapid growth of Muslim population of 3.9m from 2.7m equal to 6.5% in 2011. The Hindus population
crossed 1m from 818000 as compared to 2021 census.
The Sikhs population also increased to 524,000 from 423,000. The next category is of Budhist taking the place of Jewish population also increased to 273,000 from 247,743 in 2011. The Jewish population dropped behind Budhist to 271,000. The one of the two newly formed Ravidasia and Ad-Dharma religions, Ravidassia has dropped from estimated figure of 11,058 in 2011 census to just 10,000. There is no mention so far of Ad-Dharam in the 2021 census. However the analysis and overview of the results raised a number of eye opening critical points. The most important and very surprising is that Britain now
is not a predominantly white Christian country. Although the majority of the non-religions/atheists can be regarded from the indigenous white population.
The above results shows numerical figures of all the religions have increased over the last decade accept new found Ravidassia religion. There is a significant increase of Budhist population from 247,743 in 2011 to 273,000, although not all of them are Punjabi or from Indian sub-continent and they can be from anywhere all over the world.
It is estimated over 200,000 are Ravidasias in England who follow teachings of Guru Ravidass ji but only 10,000 officially registered belonging to Ravidasia religion and it is despite months of intensive media campaigns urging people to register as Ravidasia religion. Similarly the Valmikis are a small in numbers, 10-15 thousands only 1,000 registered as belonging to
Valmiki religion despite intensive media campaign to register as Valmiki religion. It is worth mentioning here that it is the first census here to record Ravidasia and Valmiki religions. The leaders who intensively campaigned are at a loss to explain why majority ignored their call to register as Ravidasia or Valmiki religions . Therefore these results revealed a deep dichotomy in religious belief of these communities but hence both communities as usual swelled up the numbers of Sikhs and Hindus.
The further census results as it is expected will be unfolding multiple problem and raise issues concerning public services, environment, deprivation, poverty and high inflation which is already hovering around 11%. The government think-tank, policy makers and the bank of England are already predicting of difficult time ahead in the face of rising cost of living, inflation and
the country going into recession.
This article is not intended to hurt the sentiments or beliefs of any one but to high light the factual outcome of the census.
