Amit Shah Flags "Deliberate" Demographic Changes in Border Areas, Calls It a Security Concern

 

New Delhi, August 26, 2025 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah has warned that demographic changes occurring in India’s border regions are not the result of natural factors but part of a “deliberate design” that poses a direct threat to national security.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) workshop, Shah urged state administrations and district officials to take immediate steps to address population shifts, illegal encroachments, and unauthorized settlements near sensitive border areas. He specifically directed that all such encroachments within 30 kilometers of the border be removed, pointing out that in some cases they are linked to religious institutions and created with intent.

The Home Minister highlighted examples from Gujarat, where the state government has cleared numerous encroachments along both maritime and land borders. He cautioned that these changes are not coincidental but “intentionally designed” and could weaken the country’s border security framework if unchecked.

Shah called on district collectors, chief secretaries of border states, and Central Armed Police Forces to maintain heightened vigilance. “Any negligence in monitoring these changes could have serious consequences for the security of the country,” he said.

Linking Demographics to Development

Shah tied the issue to the Vibrant Villages Programme, which seeks to strengthen border settlements by improving infrastructure, employment opportunities, and access to welfare schemes. The initiative aims to prevent out-migration from border villages and instead develop them as frontline assets for national security.

He cited Arunachal Pradesh as a success story, where government schemes have boosted village populations and paramilitary forces have been encouraged to buy local produce, creating livelihood opportunities and strengthening border communities.

The remarks underline the government’s view that altering population composition in sensitive areas is a strategic threat that must be countered with both strict enforcement and targeted development.