The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai conducted a study on illegal migrants to analyze the social impact and political implications of the Muslim population in the city. The findings were released on November 5 at the TISS main campus, followed by a seminar on November 11 at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to promote its findings.
The seminar featured speeches from JNU Vice Chancellor Prof. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Niti Aayog officer Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, and TISS Prof. Shankar Das, who presented communal theories to support the study’s results.
The study titled “Illegal Immigrants to Mumbai: Analysing Socio-economic and Political Consequences” claims to address the effects of illegal immigration on the “demographic landscape,” “sustainable development,” “channels and pathways of entrance,” “social challenges faced by local residents due to unexpected intrusions,” and the political support behind the alleged “illegal Bangladeshi or Rohingya population.”
Given its release during a heated election period, the study has been utilized in various political campaigns to target Muslims and propagate conspiracy theories against them. Critics have condemned the study for its questionable methodology, flawed parameters, and anti-Muslim bias, while the BJP and its allies have widely used its conclusions to promote communal agendas.
Results Were Pre-drawn to Reinforce Anti-Muslim Theories
“The majority of respondents are Muslim (97.56%). A significant portion of immigrants (36.67%) are illiterate,” the study notes.
The research further alleges that these immigrants often lack documentation or rely on false registrations, linking them to criminal activities such as drug trafficking and smuggling. It also claims that Muslims take opportunities away from the local Maharashtrian population.
Using insufficient models and biased approaches, the unidentified researchers claimed that Muslims would strain public resources, creating burdens on medical services and pressures on educational institutions, along with a lack of affordable housing. Researchers further accused Muslims of causing significant infrastructure problems that would disrupt water, electricity, and sanitation services for the broader community.
Apart from this, the report analyzed only 300 individuals out of the promised sample of 3,000, raising questions around the studies’ reliability.
Abuse of ‘Academic Spaces’ for Political Gains
On November 18, JNUTA stated in its official response that, “The Vice Chancellor is promoting a communal agenda by legitimizing a ‘report’ that conflates all migrants in Mumbai as ‘illegal.’
This is done without recognizing that the data presented shows a very small proportion of international migrants (less than 1 percent in 2011) compared to internal migrants (17.01 percent intra-state and 25.9 percent inter-state, which are not illegal). This is extremely shameful!”
Scholars criticized the growing trend of specific types of “academic study” on various campuses, where essential programs have been banned to support Hindutva ideology.
In condemning the “authoritarian regime,” JNUTA expressed outrage over the ban on Professor Zoya Akhtar’s lecture regarding the Palestinian crisis, which undermined academic sovereignty in numerous institutions. They asserted that such actions would ultimately dismantle the pursuit of academic excellence and create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among students.
Dr. Avinash, a JNUTA member, told The Observer Post that the use of the JNU banner aimed to gain legitimacy and publicity while validating findings that would further pollute campus politics. He claimed it does not provide reliable evidence and erroneously labels Indian Muslims as illegal migrants.
“The problem with the right-wing is that, on one hand, they malign our institution (JNU), while on the other hand, they seek to use it for legitimacy! There was no academic purpose to the study, which mentioned only a few names without identifying the true radical forces and their motivations,” he told *TOP*.
Meanwhile, researchers and former students at TISS described the report’s “political motivation” as “a stain on TISS’s legacy” and characterized it as a fraudulent document that “lacks transparency.”
At a time when the Muslim population faces damaging labels of being infiltrators and outsiders, the political intentions behind the chosen discriminatory theme are evident.
“It’s clearly an anti-Muslim bias that extends beyond Mumbai. A similar propaganda has been utilized in the Jharkhand elections. It’s merely a trap to divide and mislead people,” Dr. Avinash from JNUTA told The Observer Post.
He warned that the government would now use this fabricated data without accountability, and courts might feel emboldened to reference its false conclusions.
“There is no scientific methodology involved. Wherever Muslims face challenges due to NRC and CAA, this propaganda will exacerbate their struggles. Fake news is rampant. What are they doing in Jharkhand? What have they done in Maharashtra? We all know the answers!” he explained, highlighting the complexities.
The timing and details of this study reveal its political connections in the ongoing ruling controversy, which is now promoting its findings through hate speech and media.
Normalizing Hatred Against Muslims Through Misleading Data
The research is an assault on minority rights, seemingly “intentionally planned” to “legitimize” autocracies against them. JNU student union counselor Mohammad Kaif highlighted the “normalization” of negative stereotypes against Muslims, which are being endorsed through misleading data.
Kaif expressed his concerns, stating, “There is a short-term electoral gain for the Bharatiya Janata Party, but in the long term, this will decriminalize widespread tendencies of violence against Indian Muslims.”
Data-driven reports cannot be constructed using limited data. From the origins and methodology to the observable objectives and hidden biases, the entire report regarding illegal migrants lacks any educational purpose and appears tailored to support the fake news industry.
He noted, “During the Lok Sabha elections, we saw how BJP leaders openly insulted Muslims, labeling them as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas during their campaigns. Now, they are intervening in institutions to normalize discrimination on a broader scale.”
