The Centre has constituted a high-level committee on demographic change to tackle issues like infiltration that result in unnatural demographic change, which in turn affects the local population and resources, and also pose a threat to national security.
Sharing the information in an X post on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said infiltration and other reasons resulting in unnatural demographic change pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation.
Shah, in his social media post of X, said the constitution of the panel, which had been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year on August 15, has finally been constituted.
Shah informed that the important panel to be chaired by Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar (Retired) will include the Census Commissioner along with Durga Shankar Mishra (Retired IAS), Retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and Dr. Shamika Ravi as members.
According to the Home Minister, the Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) of the Ministry of Home Affairs will serve as the committee’s Member Secretary. He emphasized that the demographic change is a serious issue when it comes to country’s sovereignty, national security, law and order, and also to the social structure and the preservation of tribal society.
The Home Minister stated that the committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes taking place across the length and breadth of the country due to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes. It will analyze the patterns of abnormal population shifts at the religious and social community levels and propose a planned, time-bound solution to the problem.
Illegal infiltration, a major problem the country faces, was a key campaign issue for the BJP in the recently-concluded West Bengal and Assam assembly elections.
Last year on Independence Day, PM Modi highlighted the dangers of demographic imbalance due to infiltration and illegal migration in border areas. He announced a high-powered demographic mission to address this national security challenge, ensuring the unity, integrity, and rights of India’s citizens are safeguarded.
Such unnatural demographic changes due to infiltration are not only a threat to national security but also badly affect border regions, the local population, their livelihood and public resources.
The government has undertaken several initiatives to prevent infiltration bids, including using advanced technology to deploy a tech-enabled grid to secure borders.
Outreach towards the border population has been increased to protect their interests and enhance their sense of security, also helping them stay connected with schemes and welfare initiatives.