Shiv Sena and VBA maintain that the report lacks credibility and has been released now to sway public opinion ahead of the elections
Team Clarion
MUMBAI – Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leaders have raised serious doubts over a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) that claims a significant presence of Bangladeshi and Myanmar immigrants in Mumbai who may be used as a “vote bank.” They questioned the timing of the report, pointing out the lack of evidence and the silence of law enforcement if such claims were true.
The report, published by TISS, suggests that Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar are living illegally in the city and are potentially being used by certain political parties for electoral gain. This assertion has sparked controversy, especially as the state gears up for assembly elections. The leaders from both opposition parties strongly dismissed these claims, labelling the report as politically motivated.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut criticised the report calling it misleading. “If Bangladeshi and Myanmar immigrants are indeed in the city, why haven’t the police or other investigative agencies taken action?” he asked. Raut questioned why TISS and the ruling party have chosen this moment to raise the issue, asserting that no concrete evidence has been provided to support the claims.
Prakash Ambedkar, VBA leader, echoed these concerns, stating, “It seems that the ruling party can’t create a narrative without involving the word ‘Muslim.’” Ambedkar argued that if there are illegal immigrants in the city who are allegedly being given fake voter IDs, then the effectiveness of technological and security measures in place is questionable. He claimed the report was politically influenced and intended to distract voters.
Ambedkar further criticised the timing, highlighting that the Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20 are expected to see the participation of about 9.7 million voters. According to him, the release of the report right before elections aims to shift attention from key issues and target opposition parties.
The TISS report, co-authored by Vice-Chancellor Shankar Das and Assistant Professor Suvek Mondal, not only discusses the alleged increase in Bangladeshi and Myanmar immigrants in Mumbai and its suburbs but also claims that these immigrants are exploited as low-wage workers, contributing to youth unemployment in the city. Additionally, the report accuses several NGOs of supporting these immigrants with financial and educational resources.
The report states that TISS experts conducted evaluations involving around 3,000 immigrants, yet detailed findings are provided only for 300 cases. Critics argue that this limited sample size questions the report’s validity and broader claims.
As the debate continues, the opposition maintains that the report lacks credibility and has been released to sway public opinion ahead of the elections.