Ekta Nagar (Gujarat)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said illegal immigration was affecting demographic balance in parts of India, and called for taking a pledge to remove the infiltrators as they pose a "big threat to unity and integrity" of the country.

Speaking at a programme held to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel here, Modi said those opposing the government's action against infiltrators are not bothered about whether the country gets divided again.

"Today, the country's unity and integrity face a big threat from infiltrators," Modi said after witnessing the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade.

For decades, infiltrators have been sneaking into the country. They have been occupying and using resources of our country. They altered the demographic balance and put the unity of the country at risk, he said.

"The previous governments had closed their eyes against this big threat. They put the security of the country at risk for vote bank politics," Modi alleged.

"But for the first time now, the country has decided to wage a decisive battle against this threat. I had announced the Demography Mission from the Red Fort (on August 15, 2025)," he said.

When we are taking this issue seriously, some people - instead of putting the country's interest on priority - have launched a political fight to give rights to infiltrators for their own interests, he said.

"Those opposing it are of the view that as the country was divided once, if it disintegrates in future again, they do not care. But the truth is when the country's security and identity are in danger, everybody will be affected by the threat," he said.

"So, on this Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, we should take a pledge that we will remove all the infiltrators from Bharat," the prime minister said.

Modi was apparently referring to the Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration in eastern India that has led to concerns about demographic imbalance in Assam, West Bengal and some north-eastern states.

During his Independence Day speech this year, the PM announced the Demography Mission with the goal of addressing the threats to India's demographic imbalance caused by illegal immigration and infiltration.

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PM Modi has framed the mission as a national security issue, warning that demographic changes, particularly in border areas due to illegal migration, pose a threat to social harmony, internal security, and the livelihoods of Indian citizens, reports said.