Over 15% of Population, but 4.4% of Indian parliament. Lowest Muslim Representation in Six Decades:

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

Only ten States/UTs have at least one Muslim MP, that too with steep declines of share in many
NITIKA FRANCIS,VIGNESH RADHAKRISHNAN


The eighteenth Lok Sabha has the lowest share of Muslim MPs in six decades. Less than 5% of its members currently are Muslims despite people from the community forming over 15% of the country’s population. In total, there are currently 24 Muslim MPs (4.4%) in the Lok Sabha. Notably, the record low occurred despite a considerable spike in the share of Muslim MPs from the Indian National Congress, the second-biggest party in the current Lok Sabha.

The party with the most members in 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has no representatives from the Muslim community currently. In fact, the decline in the share of the Muslim MPs in the Lok Sabha, in the 1990s, coincided with the rise of the BJP, whose total MP tally crossed the 100 mark for the first time in the 10th Lok Sabha (1991-96).

Chart 1 | The chart shows the share of the Muslim MPs in India from the third to the eighteenth Lok Sabha. Figures in %



Before the slump in the 1990s, the share of Muslims in the Lok Sabha peaked at 8.3% in the 1980s — 7th (1980-84) and 8th (1984-89) Lok Sabhas, when Congress was in power. Post the slump in the 1990s, the share again incrementally increased and grew close to 7% in the 14th Lok Sabha (UPA 1: 2004-09), coinciding with the dip in the BJP’s MP count in the 2000s. In the latest four Lok Sabhas (UPA 2: 4.8%, NDA 1: 4.7%, NDA 2: 5%, NDA 3: 4.4%), the share of Muslim MPs declined to 5% or less similar to the proportion recorded in the 1990s.

Chart 2 | The chart shows the share of the Muslim MPs in the BJP and the Congress from the third to the eighteenth Lok Sabha. Figures in %.


Currently, with seven Muslim MPs, the Congress is on the top of the party-wise list, which translates to 7% of the total Congress MPs. This is the first time since the eighth Lok Sabha (1984-89), thatthe share of Muslim MPs in the Congress crossed the 7% mark. The share peaked at around 7.5% in the 6th, 7th and 8th Lok Sabhas (1977-89). Since then, the share had sharply and consistently declined to reach 1.1% in the seventeenth Lok Sabha (2019-2024) as shown in Chart 2, only to increase again in the latest term.

Chart 3 | The chart shows the number of the Muslim MPs in each party in the current Lok Sabha.


Followed by the Congress, the All India Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party are the other parties on the top of the list with five and four Muslim MPs respectively. Elevenpercent of SP’s MPs are Muslims and 17% of AITC’s MPs are Muslims. The other Muslim MPs are from Indian Union Muslim League (3), Jammu & Kashmir National Congress (2), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (1) and two independents.


Click to subscribe to our Data newsletter

The record low share in the latest Lok Sabha was mostly due to steep declines in the share of Muslim MPs in Assam and Kerala. In Assam, the share declined from 14% to 7%. In Kerala, it reduced from 19% to 15%. Even in Uttar Pradesh, despite the INDIA alliance winning a majority of seats in 2024, the State recorded a slight decline in the share of Muslim MPs from 8% in the previous Lok Sabha to 6% in 2024.


Union Territories with just one MP were not considered. States with no record of Muslim MPs ever have been excluded from the chart. All in all, only ten States and UTs have at least one Muslim MP in the Lok Sabha in the current term.

States such as Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttarakhand have never elected a Muslim MP, according to the methodology followed in this article.

Methodology: To identify Muslim MPs, character-based machine learning models developed by Rachana and Sugat Chaturvedi in their 2023 paper “It’s all in the name: A character-based approach to infer religion” was implemented. Their Support Vector Machine algorithm was applied to the names of MPs to predict their religion. This was followed by manual checks to correct false positives and false negatives

[email protected], [email protected]

Source: Election Commission of India and Lok Dhaba

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

The political and geopolitical footprint of a population the size of Pakistan, is now less than a Instagram celebrity.

I hope people now understand that why they chose to split British raj instead of conceding on 30% reserved seats for muslims back in 1920s/30. Today it would have been the fate of 600-700 million of not for Pakistan movement

 

[Deep State Indian]

Only ten States/UTs have at least one Muslim MP, that too with steep declines of share in many
NITIKA FRANCIS,VIGNESH RADHAKRISHNAN


The eighteenth Lok Sabha has the lowest share of Muslim MPs in six decades. Less than 5% of its members currently are Muslims despite people from the community forming over 15% of the country’s population. In total, there are currently 24 Muslim MPs (4.4%) in the Lok Sabha. Notably, the record low occurred despite a considerable spike in the share of Muslim MPs from the Indian National Congress, the second-biggest party in the current Lok Sabha.

The party with the most members in 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has no representatives from the Muslim community currently. In fact, the decline in the share of the Muslim MPs in the Lok Sabha, in the 1990s, coincided with the rise of the BJP, whose total MP tally crossed the 100 mark for the first time in the 10th Lok Sabha (1991-96).

Chart 1 | The chart shows the share of the Muslim MPs in India from the third to the eighteenth Lok Sabha. Figures in %

View attachment 50285

Before the slump in the 1990s, the share of Muslims in the Lok Sabha peaked at 8.3% in the 1980s — 7th (1980-84) and 8th (1984-89) Lok Sabhas, when Congress was in power. Post the slump in the 1990s, the share again incrementally increased and grew close to 7% in the 14th Lok Sabha (UPA 1: 2004-09), coinciding with the dip in the BJP’s MP count in the 2000s. In the latest four Lok Sabhas (UPA 2: 4.8%, NDA 1: 4.7%, NDA 2: 5%, NDA 3: 4.4%), the share of Muslim MPs declined to 5% or less similar to the proportion recorded in the 1990s.

Chart 2 | The chart shows the share of the Muslim MPs in the BJP and the Congress from the third to the eighteenth Lok Sabha. Figures in %.
View attachment 50286

Currently, with seven Muslim MPs, the Congress is on the top of the party-wise list, which translates to 7% of the total Congress MPs. This is the first time since the eighth Lok Sabha (1984-89), thatthe share of Muslim MPs in the Congress crossed the 7% mark. The share peaked at around 7.5% in the 6th, 7th and 8th Lok Sabhas (1977-89). Since then, the share had sharply and consistently declined to reach 1.1% in the seventeenth Lok Sabha (2019-2024) as shown in Chart 2, only to increase again in the latest term.

Chart 3 | The chart shows the number of the Muslim MPs in each party in the current Lok Sabha.
View attachment 50287

Followed by the Congress, the All India Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party are the other parties on the top of the list with five and four Muslim MPs respectively. Elevenpercent of SP’s MPs are Muslims and 17% of AITC’s MPs are Muslims. The other Muslim MPs are from Indian Union Muslim League (3), Jammu & Kashmir National Congress (2), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (1) and two independents.


Click to subscribe to our Data newsletter

The record low share in the latest Lok Sabha was mostly due to steep declines in the share of Muslim MPs in Assam and Kerala. In Assam, the share declined from 14% to 7%. In Kerala, it reduced from 19% to 15%. Even in Uttar Pradesh, despite the INDIA alliance winning a majority of seats in 2024, the State recorded a slight decline in the share of Muslim MPs from 8% in the previous Lok Sabha to 6% in 2024.


Union Territories with just one MP were not considered. States with no record of Muslim MPs ever have been excluded from the chart. All in all, only ten States and UTs have at least one Muslim MP in the Lok Sabha in the current term.

States such as Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttarakhand have never elected a Muslim MP, according to the methodology followed in this article.

Methodology: To identify Muslim MPs, character-based machine learning models developed by Rachana and Sugat Chaturvedi in their 2023 paper “It’s all in the name: A character-based approach to infer religion” was implemented. Their Support Vector Machine algorithm was applied to the names of MPs to predict their religion. This was followed by manual checks to correct false positives and false negatives

[email protected], [email protected]

Source: Election Commission of India and Lok Dhaba

LOL, Those days are gone

 

[sumit_123]

Two major reasons, one being Muslims living in ghetto thus mostly Muslims are given ticket and they win from these seats only. Second being Muslims aversion with BJP and vice versa.

 

[sentry]

I don't think Muslim community has enough leaders to impress their own constitution let alone Hindus. We are seeing what happens to countries in the neighborhood with muslim leadership. I am not trying to be racist, it is just the percepetion.

 

[JaneBhiDoYaaron]

I don't think Muslim community has enough leaders to impress their own constitution let alone Hindus. We are seeing what happens to countries in the neighborhood with muslim leadership. I am not trying to be racist, it is just the percepetion.

For them Owasi type are hero , and Dr Kalam and Arif Mohammadkha are uncle Tom.

One thing assured the way votes have been cast Modibaba is going to lose next election if he continues with sabka saath sabka vikaas crap with BJP getting less then 1% vote.

 

[Musings]

I don't think Muslim community has enough leaders to impress their own constitution let alone Hindus. We are seeing what happens to countries in the neighborhood with muslim leadership. I am not trying to be racist, it is just the percepetion.

Your obsession is deep. Last warning if you bring Pakistan into a thread about india - i will ban you

 

[sentry]

Your obsession is deep. Last warning if you bring Pakistan into a thread about india - i will ban you

Ok. Not sure why you are overreacting.

 

[SaadH]

LOL, Those days are gone

I fail to see the humor in that...are you not concerned that the biggest minority in India is not adequately represented in its gov't or are you gloating at their predicament?

 

[SaadH]

Two major reasons, one being Muslims living in ghetto thus mostly Muslims are given ticket and they win from these seats only. Second being Muslims aversion with BJP and vice versa.

Nobody lives in a ghetto voluntarily, you sound exactly like a Nazi surveying the Warsaw ghetto, circa early 1940's...

 

[ahmadbhutta]

Actual population of Muslims may be 20% plus

 

[Thinking]

I fail to see the humor in that...are you not concerned that the biggest minority in India is not adequately represented in its gov't or are you gloating at their predicament?

20% is not minority. Representation is a strange thing. Perhaps one should look at the kind of MPs Muslim elect to see why rest don't want them?

 

[JaneBhiDoYaaron]

I fail to see the humor in that...are you not concerned that the biggest minority in India is not adequately represented in its gov't or are you gloating at their predicament?

Mayawati (UP) who gave maximum tickets to muslims than any other parties did not got her single muslim candidate got elected. As I said if there are no members in BJP because no muslims vote for BJP then you ain’t gonna have representation. Modibaba used to always have few muslims in cabinet despite not of getting votes but I guess not this time.

Anyway this is federal government only, Muslims are more than adequately represented in various state governments.

 

[Guru Dutt]

I don't think Muslim community has enough leaders to impress their own constitution let alone Hindus. We are seeing what happens to countries in the neighborhood with muslim leadership. I am not trying to be racist, it is just the percepetion.

well thats right to some extend

since partition muslim masses follow or make hero those individuals that either those who make most horrible and atrotious kind of anty hindu or against there religous symbol remarks or mock them or have been involved in anty social activities like tiger memon who was master mind of bombay blasts or Dawood ibrahim or Haji mastan type smuggllers

Muslims did this cause from 1935 after British made two seppratte Religious code bills but and Muslims drafted and started following FOUR PRINCIPLAL DEMAND FORMULA to accept that law that later resulted in so called TWO NATION THEORY

but Hindus after independence were under Consyitution of India were forced to accept HINDU CODE BILL of 1955 and all Hindu temples came into Govt control but muslim mazjids and madarsaas or mazzars or maqbaras were WAQF property while muslims had there own personal law and there own code bill that cannot be governed by the Indian LAW that sowed the seeds of inhilation and appeasment polictics in muslims in india

and thats the main reason why muslims thout everything for granted and instead of teaching there kids to competete and educate muslims masses belived in population expossion to snatch power which made hindu majority even more susspecious of them and let to this non trust..

as for BJP well in 1998 BJP did tried to trust once but deu to lone cross Voting of Saifuddin Soze Atal goverment fell after that BJP never ever trusted muslim leadership in India

..... rest @Waz & @Musings @ @Oscar you guys are more intellegent bu i have given you an over view why no hindu politician trusts muslims even to this day

 

[kmc_chacko]

Muslims of India are running behind freebees instead of making good leaders who can lead them towards upliftment, all the parties sold "minorities are threat under BJP" scheme and they fell for it that's it nothing else.