India’s Migrant ‘Problem’
After an election season in which home minister Amit Shah used inflammatory language for illegal immigrants (“ghuspetiyon”), and repeated promises this month to root out infiltrators, data from the 2011 census shows that the number of Bangladeshi immigrants is on the decline. Shah’s threat to extend the National Register of Citizens from Northeastern states to the rest of the country doesn’t square with the census data, which finds immigration rates to be below 0.5 per cent in the majority of districts. Besides, many of these immigrants are of Indian origin who have returned from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the Gulf. The census figures belie the government’s concern about illegal immigrants, even accounting for the under-reporting of ‘illegals’.
5.3 MILLION
Indian residents born outside, says 2011 census; 6.2 million in 2001; immigration rate: 0.4%, down from 0.6%
2,304,435
people living in India born in Bangladesh (2011). Down from 3,084,826 (2001). Reduction in part due to deaths of Partition-era and 1971 migrants
64,117
Bangladeshi-born residents in Assam (2011). 56,550 from before 1991; only 722 between 20072010. Over 40 lakh left off draft NRC in Assam (2018)
709,725
Pakistani-born immigrants in India. Down from 997,106, likely due to deaths of Partition-era migrants
181,395
more Nepali-born immigrants in India (2011), second only to Bangladeshiborn immigrants; 778,091 (2011), up from 596,696 (2001)
93,633
UAE-born immigrants (2011), up from 29,823 in 2001. Also, rise in US-born immigrants: 36,000 (2011), up from around 3,000 (2001)
52,245
immigrants from Myanmar (2011), up from 49,086 (2001); the figure doesn’t account for the estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees since 2015, being treated as ‘illegals’