Amit Shah Backs Election Commission’s SIR Drive, Says Infiltrators in Voters’ List Violate Constitution’s Spirit
New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday voiced strong support for the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, asserting that the inclusion of infiltrators in the electoral rolls “pollutes the spirit of the Constitution.” He said that the right to vote must remain exclusive to Indian citizens.
Delivering the Narendra Mohan Memorial Lecture on “Infiltration, Demographic Change and Democracy”, Shah said the government is committed to the long-standing BJP policy of “detect, delete, and deport” when dealing with infiltrators.
“We will detect infiltrators, delete their names from the voter list, and deport them from the country,” he said.
The Home Minister emphasised that both infiltration and the SIR process should be treated as national issues, not political controversies.
“Who should decide who becomes the Prime Minister or Chief Minister? Only the citizens of India — not infiltrators,” he remarked.
Shah criticised the Congress and opposition parties for politicising the SIR exercise, claiming they were doing so because their “vote banks are shrinking.” He reminded that such revision drives were also conducted under Congress governments and that any grievance could be addressed through the courts.
He added that while the opposition blames the Centre for infiltration due to the Border Security Force’s control, terrain challenges prevent complete fencing of certain areas.
“The Centre alone cannot stop infiltration. Some state governments protect infiltrators because they see them as a vote bank,” he said.
Shah stressed that free and fair elections depend on an accurate voters’ list containing only Indian citizens of eligible age.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day announcement, Shah said a high-powered demographic mission will soon study the effects of illegal migration on social, religious, and border dynamics. He acknowledged that the initiative might spark debates but affirmed that the BJP would always “choose the nation over controversy.”
Drawing a line between refugees and infiltrators, Shah explained:
“Refugees come to India seeking religious refuge, while infiltrators cross illegally for economic or other reasons. If everyone is allowed to enter, India will turn into a ‘dharamshala’.”
He recalled the Nehru-Liaquat Pact, saying that India had promised shelter to persecuted Hindus in Pakistan after Partition — a pledge fulfilled only when the Modi government introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019.
“CAA does not take away anyone’s citizenship; it gives persecuted minorities their long-denied rights,” he said.
Quoting Census data, Shah pointed to changing demographics:
1951: Hindus – 84%, Muslims – 9.8%
1971: Hindus – 82%, Muslims – 11%
1991: Hindus – 81%, Muslims – 12.21%
2011: Hindus – 79%, Muslims – 14.2%
He attributed this shift partly to infiltration, particularly in Assam and West Bengal, where some districts recorded Muslim population growth of up to 70%, which he said was “not possible without infiltration.”
Shah also highlighted declining tribal populations in Jharkhand, linking it to cross-border migration from Bangladesh.
