MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has raised alarms over alleged illegal Bangladeshi infiltration, changing demographics, and violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, linking them to long-term population trends in India’s financial capital. His remarks, made on social media platform X, have triggered sharp reactions.
Somaiya claimed that “illegal Bangladeshi migration” is altering the “colour of Mumbai,” asserting that unchecked infiltration has demographic, social and security implications. To support his argument, he cited projections attributed to a Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) report, which he said indicate a steep decline in Mumbai’s Hindu population over the coming decades, alongside a significant rise in the Muslim population.
#Bangladeshi Infiltrators in Mumbai
Tata Institute of Social Science TISS report says
Hindu Population was 88% in 1961 will be reduced to 54% in 2051
Significant rise in Muslim population from 8% in 1961 & will be 30% in 2051 pic.twitter.com/H2ScNby6sr
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) December 23, 2025
According to the figures cited by Somaiya, Hindus constituted around 88 per cent of Mumbai’s population in 1961. This proportion, he claimed, is projected to fall to nearly 54 per cent by 2051. In contrast, the Muslim population, which he said stood at about 8 per cent in 1961, is projected to rise to around 30 per cent of Mumbai’s total population by mid-century. Somaiya linked this projected shift directly to illegal migration, particularly from Bangladesh, alleging that it is reshaping the city’s demographic profile without adequate scrutiny or enforcement.
The BJP leader also brought in developments from across the border, stating that Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh, a claim that adds a regional and communal dimension to his broader argument.
“These are not random numbers or isolated events,” Somaiya suggested in his posts, arguing that population trends, illegal migration, and regional instability must be seen together. He called for stricter identification of undocumented migrants, stronger border controls, and a comprehensive verification drive in metropolitan areas like Mumbai.
