New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed support for the Centre’s decision to establish a high level committee to study demographic changes linked to illegal immigration and other factors, describing the move as an important step toward obtaining accurate national data.
Speaking on the issue, Tharoor said it was essential to first understand the actual scale of demographic changes before engaging in broader political debates surrounding the matter. He emphasised that reliable and comprehensive information was necessary to prevent the misuse of incomplete or inaccurate data for political purposes.
According to the Congress leader, any initiative aimed at gathering factual and detailed demographic statistics should be welcomed. He stated that accurate data would help present a clearer picture of population trends and demographic shifts taking place across the country.
Tharoor also pointed out that India is already moving toward a national census exercise, making it even more important to ensure that all demographic factors are carefully documented and analysed. He maintained that informed discussions on policy and politics should be based on verified figures rather than assumptions or selective interpretation of data.
The Centre recently announced the formation of a high level committee to examine what it described as “unnatural demographic change” caused by infiltration and other unspecified reasons. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the issue posed a serious challenge to national security, sovereignty, social balance, and the protection of tribal communities.
The committee was announced following an earlier statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the need to address demographic changes linked to illegal migration.
The panel will be chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar. Other members include former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, economist Shamika Ravi, and the Census Commissioner.
The announcement is expected to trigger wider political discussion, especially in states where illegal migration and border related concerns remain major public and political issues.
