Demography Mission: Why Prime Minister’s Message On Independence Day Matters

Last Updated:August 15, 2025, 10:11 IST

According to the BJP, unchecked illegal migration, particularly in opposition-ruled states, has eroded basic rights, especially for backward communities and tribal populations.

2025: PM Narendra Modi donned a bright saffron turban, paired with a Nehru jacket over a crisp white kurta set. The simplicity of the kurta provided a clean backdrop for the more striking accessories, including a cream stole with a tricolour-inspired border, symbolising the nation’s history, unity, and pride. (File Photo)

From the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a pointed message: India will not bow to the challenges of shifting demographics and the threat posed by illegal migration.

His remarks come at a politically sensitive moment, with opposition parties fiercely criticising the Election Commission of India for conducting the Special Integrated Revision (SIR) drive in states like Bihar, and soon in others, including poll-bound Tamil Nadu and West Bengal next year.

“Infiltration is changing our demography, stealing our livelihoods, seizing tribal lands, and endangering our sisters and daughters. We cannot hand over our nation to infiltrators — we must act now," Modi declared.

The Prime Minister has raised these concerns before, notably during last year’s Jharkhand campaign, where he underscored the issues of roti, beti, and maati — jobs, women’s security, and the protection of tribal land rights. According to the BJP, unchecked illegal migration, particularly in opposition-ruled states, has eroded these basic rights, especially for backward communities and tribal populations.

Several BJP-led states, especially in the Northeast, have voiced similar concerns. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned that in some districts, demographic patterns have drastically shifted over the years, with Hindu populations becoming sparse as illegal migrants consolidate their presence. To counter this, the Assam government has barred land sales or acquisitions in certain districts without state approval.

Modi announced that a high-powered Demography Mission will address this challenge head-on, with the aim of protecting national interests, preserving social harmony, and safeguarding land rights.

The issue has particular political weight in West Bengal, which heads to the polls next year and has a large population of illegal migrants, many from Bangladesh. The BJP accuses the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, of enabling their empowerment. Similarly, Tamil Nadu’s DMK government has openly opposed the Election Commission’s voter verification drive, which seeks to remove ineligible voters.

Meanwhile, Parliament’s Monsoon Session has seen little legislative business, with the Opposition demanding a debate on the SIR and accusing the NDA government of “dirty politics." The coming week will test how far the Prime Minister’s message can shift the conversation within Parliament and beyond.

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First Published:

August 15, 2025, 10:11 IST

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