HM Amit Shah announces Justice Naolekar panel to address unnatural demographic change (Ld)
New Delhi, May 26
Reiterating the national security threat from unnatural demographic change, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced the constitution of a five-member committee led by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar to address infiltration-related issues.
"Infiltration and other reasons causing unnatural demographic change pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation," Union Minister Shah said on social media platform X.
"To address this very challenge, on August 15, 2025, Prime Minister @narendramodiji had announced the 'High-Level Committee on Demographic Change'. I am delighted to inform you that the government has now constituted this committee," he added.
He said the Justice Naolekar Committee will analyse patterns of abnormal population shifts at the levels of religious and social communities and present a planned and time-bound solution for the demographic change.
This committee, chaired by Justice Naolekar (retired), will include Census Commissioner along with Durga Shankar Mishra (retired IAS), Balaji Srivastava (retired IPS), and Shamika Ravi as members, he said, adding that the Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) of Ministry of Home Affairs Sumant Singh will serve as the Member Secretary of this committee.
The Union Minister said, "Demographic change is a serious issue linked not only to our sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, profound changes in social structure, and the preservation of tribal society."
"This committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes occurring across India due to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes, analyse patterns of abnormal population shifts at the levels of religious and social communities, and present a planned and time-bound solution for the same," he added.
The constitution of the Committee assumes significance in light of the infiltration issue dominating the political discourse ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cornered the then Mamata Banerjee government on this issue and managed to defeat the Trinamool Congress and came to power with an absolute majority in West Bengal.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm glad this is finally being taken seriously. Living in Assam, I've seen firsthand how demographic changes have affected local communities. But I hope the committee also considers humanitarian aspects and doesn't create panic or target genuine refugees. A balanced approach is needed 🙏
Interesting development. As an outsider looking in, India's demographic challenges are unique given its diverse religious and social fabric. This committee seems comprehensive with legal, administrative, and data experts. Let's see if it produces actionable recommendations for border security and citizenship verification.
While I support the idea of addressing illegal immigration, this seems politically motivated given the West Bengal elections context. The BJP won there, but demographic change is a complex issue affecting multiple states including Assam, Tripura, and even parts of urban India. Hope this doesn't become a tool for divisive politics.
My concern is about tribal communities. The statement mentions preservation of tribal society, but often government committees don't consult ground-level realities. We need more representation from affected regions and communities in such bodies. Data alone won't solve the deep-rooted issues of displacement and identity loss.
About time! Been hearing about this issue for decades without concrete action. Let's hope the committee includes grassroots intelligence from border areas. Also important to distinguish between genuine migrants and illegal infiltrators - that's the tricky part. NRC and CAA debates showed how sensitive this is.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.