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The report elaborates on how such influx of illegal settlers has not only transformed the city’s demographics but disrupted its economy, strained the resources, and also strengthened criminal networks by feeding into it.
Delhi Police personnel during a campaign to identify Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants residing without valid documentation. (Image: PTI)
Illegal migration from Bangladesh and Myanmar has altered Delhi-NCR’s socio-political and economic fabric, causing ‘notable increase of Muslim population’ as political patronage plays a crucial role allowing the steady influx of undocumented Bangladeshi and Rohingyas, reveals a 114-page report released by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). News18 has exclusively accessed the report. It also elaborates on how such influx of illegal settlers has not only transformed the city’s demographics but disrupted its economy, strained the resources, and also strengthened criminal networks by feeding into it. Significantly, the findings of the report echoed a similar study on Mumbai by TISS ahead of the Maharashtra election.
The report titled – Illegal Immigrants to Delhi: Analysing Socio-economic and Political Consequences – published this week, also highlights how the political parties and their accomplices facilitate fake voter registration for these migrants, raising concerns about electoral integrity and democratic manipulation.
The team of researchers were led by Prof Manuradha Chaudhary, dean of students of JNU. The team was also supported by the senior professors of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) who investigated the impact of illegal Bangladeshi migration in Mumbai.
Political Patronage and Economic Strain
According to the findings, the illegal immigration from Bangladesh and Myanmar has changed the capital city’s socio-political and economic fabric, with political patronage enabling the steady influx. Economically, the presence of undocumented or illegal migrants has intensified job competition, particularly in low-wage sectors like construction and domestic work.
Their participation in informal markets has driven wages down, while their exclusion from the tax system burdens the city’s legitimate workforce. Unauthorised settlements have also led to overcrowding, unplanned urban expansion, and environmental degradation, straining public services such as water, electricity, healthcare, and education.
“Illegal immigration to Delhi has significantly altered the city’s demographic landscape,with a large influx of migrants from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar.These migrants often settle in overcrowded neighbourhoods such as Seelampur, JamiaNagar, Zakir Nagar, Sultanpuri, Mustafabad, Jafrabad, Dwarka, Govindpuri and many more, where they strain resources and disrupt local social cohesion,” the report stated.
“The historical context of illegal immigration from Bangladesh dates back to the 2017 Rohingya crisis, during which millions of refugees fled to India. Over the decades, many of these migrants settled in Delhi, creating dense pockets of undocumented populations,” it further added.
Informal Network of Brokers, Agents, Preachers
The migrants who cross the border with the help of brokers and agents rely on the informal syndicates of producing fake documents for them in exchange for money. The report said. “Migrants often rely on informal networks, including brokers, agents and religious preachers, to secure housing and jobs, perpetuating cycles of illegal immigration. These networks also facilitate the creation of fake identification documents, which undermine legal systems and electoral processes. Unauthorised settlements by illegal immigrants have led to the proliferation of slums and unplanned colonies, causing immense pressure on Delhi’s already overstretched infrastructure, including housing, sanitation, and water supply,” it added.
The report pointed out that current demographic changes caused by migration have ‘altered the religious composition of Delhi, with a notable increase in the Muslim population due to migration from Bangladesh’. This has impacted the socio-political dynamics of the city.
Proliferation of criminal network
Beyond the huge economic and social disruption, the steady illegal migration has also led to the mushrooming of criminal networks involved in smuggling, document forgery, and human trafficking.
The report further outlines how these informal networks of brokers, religious preachers, and middlemen facilitate the influx of migrants, providing them with fake identification documents that undermine law enforcement efforts.
Law enforcement agencies, despite intensified crackdowns, face bureaucratic hurdles and political resistance, delaying deportation efforts which in a way make the illegal settlements thrive.
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