Suvendu to meet Union Home Ministry officials on July 7 ahead of demographic committee’s Bengal visit

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhiakri along with his top officials may attend a high profile meeting with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on July 7.

The meeting which will be attended by the chief secretary, home secretary and other senior officials assumes significance as it is expected to focus on key issues such as infiltration and demographic changes in the state.

Advertisement

It also comes ahead of the state tours by the Centre’s high-level committee who would be examining demographic shifts across the country.

West Bengal will be among the states included in the first phase of the its tour. The committee members have already met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence on Wednesday before kickstarting their multi-state visits.

Sources said a questionnaire has already been prepared to collect information from state governments, administrative bodies and relevant authorities. The committee is expected to assess the ground situation regarding demographic changes across states, illegal infiltration and their social and economic impact.

Earlier, speaking to the reporters during an event at the Bharat Sevashram Hospital in Joka, Adhikari outlined a series of measures being taken to address demographic changes and curb infiltration in the state. He had said the state would work jointly in line with the guidelines of the Union Home Ministry.

Referring to the first phase of action already completed, Adhikari said land had been handed over to the Border Security Force over the past 45 days and holding stations had been set up at 12 locations.

Adhikari informed that these facilities have helped send back nearly 10,000 infiltrators, while another 1,000 to 1,500 people are currently housed there.

The chief minister mentioned that police stations in border areas, in coordination with the Border Security Force, are identifying infiltrators and sending them to these holding stations instead of jails, from where they are being repatriated.

The Bengal government has earlier announced that a digital caste census will begin on August 1, with the final results expected to be published on February 28, 2027.

The census will include a self-declaration mechanism. “Once the data presents a clearer picture, stronger measures to tackle infiltration could be implemented,” Adhikari had said.