From the very beginning, Pakistan and its former part, Bangladesh, have been conspiring to change India’s demography. Millions of citizens from these two countries have clandestinely settled in every corner of India. To stop this infiltration, the Indian government has enacted laws, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has firmly warned, “We will not let India become a dharamshala (shelter for all).”
Even after the enactment of laws and the Home Minister’s clear warning, it is uncertain how effective the outcomes will be, as the infiltrators have established widespread networks throughout the country. Many countries in the world do not have a population as large as the number of infiltrators in India. Different agencies have provided varying figures for the number of infiltrators — some estimate three crore, while others suggest five crore.
Infiltration into India is not a recent problem; it has existed since the very beginning. It has been conducted under a deliberate plan. Even though the Muslim League and Muhammad Ali Jinnah secured Pakistan, they did not abandon their larger ambition of transforming India. They wanted to color all of India in their own ideology, and this was never hidden.
After the creation of Pakistan, a slogan was openly chanted: “We have taken Pakistan with a smile, we will take Hindustan by fighting.” This slogan was aimed at fulfilling the objective of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” (conquest of India).
Although Pakistan formally came into existence on 14 August 1947, preparations for this plan had started much earlier, as seen from the actions of princely states like Bhopal, Junagadh, and Hyderabad, and from influential Muslim families across India. Most people did not completely migrate to Pakistan; many left behind family members to safeguard their properties and to continue the conspiracy of transformation from within India.
For instance, Muhammad Ali Jinnah moved to Pakistan with one wife but left his daughter in India to maintain his property. Similarly, the Nawab of Bhopal, Hamidullah Khan, sent one daughter to Pakistan while keeping another in India to manage assets, frequently traveling between the two countries himself.
Yogendra Nath Mandal from Assam, elected to the Constituent Assembly from the Muslim League’s quota, also followed a similar pattern. This strategy ensured that all religious places, madrasas, shrines, and properties of those who migrated to Pakistan remained safe in India. To protect the properties of those who migrated, Mahatma Gandhi even undertook a fast — the last fast of his life, from 13–18 January 1948 in Delhi.
The conspiracy to change India’s demography since day one
Infiltration into India has been happening since independence. Although some Muslim families considered India their birthplace and stayed back, many who migrated to Pakistan soon returned under a larger, organised plan. Thus, even after the creation of Pakistan, “love jihad” and “land jihad” never ceased. Occasionally, Pakistan’s flags were waved, and their slogans heard in India.
Initially, the Kashmir and Nepal borders served as the primary routes for infiltration. However, after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, infiltration across the Bangladesh border surged dramatically.
The war provided an excuse for millions to enter India, posing as refugees. Although the war lasted just seventeen days, millions flooded into India under the guise of being war refugees. Unlike typical global war refugees, these people did not return even after the war ended and Bangladesh was formed — because their goal was not a refuge but a demographic transformation.
Subsequently, the India-Bangladesh border witnessed even more aggressive infiltration. Rohingyas joined hands with Bangladeshi infiltrators, forming a sort of alliance. This has dramatically altered the demography of villages and towns near the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders.
It is estimated that about 5.7 million Bangladeshis have settled in West Bengal and about 5 million in Assam. They possess all necessary documents like Aadhaar cards and voter IDs. The Muslim population has surged sharply in many border districts. For instance, in Assam’s Barpeta, Dhubri, Darrang, Nagaon, Karimganj, Morigaon, Bongaigaon, and Goalpara districts, Muslims now form 50 per cent–80 per cent of the population. Other districts like Nalbari, Cachar, and Kamrup have also witnessed significant demographic shifts. Due to this, Muslims now dominate 45 assembly constituencies in Assam.
Similarly, in West Bengal, Bangladeshi infiltrators dominate the districts of Malda, Dinajpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Murshidabad, and 24 Parganas. Hindus have started migrating due to the aggressive behaviour of these infiltrators.
In Bihar’s Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, and Purnia districts, the Muslim population has increased significantly. Kishanganj now has 67.58 per cent Muslim and 31.43 per cent Hindu population.
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes had also raised concerns regarding demographic changes due to infiltration in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand. And this infiltration is not limited to border states; infiltrators have spread to all corners of India.
Many agencies have released various figures over the years. In 2000, India’s then Home Secretary Madhav Godbole reported about 15 million Bangladeshi infiltrators. Other agencies estimated the number at around 25–30 million. In 2014, former CBI Director Joginder Singh estimated about 50 million infiltrators in India. These infiltrators now influence around 30 Lok Sabha and more than 140 Assembly seats. Even in Delhi, their number is believed to be between six to eight lakh (600,000–800,000). They possess Indian identification documents as well.
India has always maintained goodwill towards Bangladesh. However, ISI agents caught in Kolkata in 2002 revealed that training camps for terrorism exist along the Bangladesh border. Trained individuals infiltrate India to create unrest.
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