TISS Study: Influx Of Bangladeshi, Rohingya Migrants Worsening Mumbai’s Resource Crisis – News18
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The TISS report states that as Muslim immigrant populations grow, demographic shifts heighten cultural insecurities fuelling tensions and social divides
The TISS report shows that the immigration crisis has put unsustainable pressure on Mumbai’s already overstretched infrastructure. (Image for representation: AP/File)
Illegal immigration from Bangladesh and Myanmar is changing and reshaping Mumbai’s political and socio-economic landscape, shows an investigation-driven study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
According to the 118-page interim report titled ‘Illegal immigrants to Mumbai: Analysing socio-economic and political consequences’, which was accessed by News18, migrants fill up low-skill jobs. This subsequently drives down wages, sparking resentment among local residents, which then becomes a vulnerability among political entities to be exploited for vote bank dynamics.
The report states that as Muslim immigrant populations grow, demographic shifts heighten cultural insecurities fuelling tensions and social divides. The ongoing influx demands urgent policy intervention to address security, employment, and community stability in the city, it said in a summary for the investigation.
Relying on available data and the field work, it shows that this escalating immigration crisis has put unsustainable pressure on the city’s already overstretched infrastructure. It shows there is a high impact on public services like healthcare, education and sanitation, thus reducing access for local residents and threatening public welfare.
The report further said the demographic shift in Mumbai over recent decades has been dramatic, with the Hindu population decreasing from 88 percent in 1961 to 66 percent in 2011, while the Muslim population rose from 8 percent to 21 percent in the same period.
Several projections for 2051 estimate that Hindus could fall below 54 percent, with the Muslim population rising to approximately 30 percent, it said. This has fuelled a massive Marathi identity crisis, with fear that it will have an impact on local traditions and Mumbai’s social fabric, it added.
In chapter 9 of the report, titled ‘Summary, conclusions and implications’, the report states: “The complicated dynamics of illegal migration created a multitude of problems that affect the local population and the overall governance of the city. It is vital to address these specific issues and implement effective policy interventions to mitigate the challenges associated with illegal Muslim immigration to Mumbai.”
Feeling Of ‘Insecurity’ Among Locals
The investigators summed up their findings, stating: “Our study reveals that one of the most significant challenges faced by presented illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants is socio-economic competition. The migrants input in Mumbai for seeking better job opportunities, often filling low-professional positions in sectors consisting of construction, homework and informal buying and selling.”
“While their labour is important to the metropolis’s financial system, the inflow of migrants has brought about increased competition for jobs which are already scarce, particularly for low-professional local employees. This situation created a dual effect: on one side, it drives down wages for vulnerable local workers and promotes resentment closer to the migrant communities. Political entities often take advantage of these emotions, by religious affiliation they use them as vote banks. Such rhetoric results in social unrest and, in excessive cases, violence towards natives,” it added.
The report further stated, “This competitive hard work dynamic no longer most effectively affects financial stability however additionally exacerbates social challenges inside communities. Apart from that, the cyclic nature of this immigration created significant changes in religious demographics, especially in areas with large concentrations of Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. These changes create feelings of insecurity among local communities, especially Hindus, whose cultural identity is perceived to be under threat.”
What Do The Data and Details Say?
According to the findings, Mumbai’s escalating immigration crisis has been fuelled by the influx of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants. This has put unsustainable pressure on the city’s already overstretched infrastructure. The strain on resources risks a systemic collapse, with critical public services like healthcare, education, and sanitation overwhelmed, the report said.
A primary survey, as per the report, showed a complex network sustaining this influx with 40 percent of respondents favouring continued migration, citing family ties and over 50 percent of migrant women engaged in prostitution. Additionally, around 40 percent of migrants regularly send significant remittances, ranging from around Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per month, back to their home countries, adding economic complexity and raising questions about the economic impact on Mumbai.
The investigators also stressed that there is an impact on national security due to illegal influx. There are concerns that a fraction of migrants are linked to extremist groups, leading to intensified surveillance by agencies.
Additionally, accusations of “vote bank politics” emerge as migrants are allegedly issued forged documents, enabling them to illegally take part in elections and raising fears over the integrity of democratic processes.
A five-member research team led by Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Shankar Das, as principal investigator, completed the investigation with the report published earlier this week.
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