Owaisi accuses Demography Commission of targeting Muslims over religion-wise data
Synopsis
Asaduddin Owaisi has accused the Centre's High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes of using religion-wise data collection — spanning vehicles, property, school enrolment and Aadhaar registrations — as a tool to target Muslims rather than to improve policy. His remarks also connect the commission's work to a potential NRC based on the SIR electoral roll, raising the political stakes considerably.
Key Takeaways
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi alleged on 29 September 2026 that the Centre's HLCDC is targeting Muslims through religion-wise data collection.
The committee reportedly sought 15 years of data on vehicle registrations, property transactions, school enrolment, and Aadhaar, voter ID and ration card registrations.
The HLCDC was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 26 May , headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar .
Owaisi also warned the commission's findings could be linked to an NRC conducted on the basis of the SIR electoral roll .
The Ministry of Home Affairs has not publicly responded to the allegations.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, alleged that the Centre's High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC) — which he referred to as the 'Demography Commission' — is targeting Muslims by seeking religion-wise data from states on vehicle registrations and property transactions. Owaisi made the allegation in a post on social media platform X, reacting to media reports about the nature of data the committee had reportedly sought.
What Owaisi Said
In his post, Owaisi drew a sharp contrast between the government's past posture on minority welfare data and its current data-gathering exercise. 'When we demanded of the Modi government that it gather data on the educational, social, and economic conditions of Muslims, the government would instantly turn its face away. Amit Shah's Demography Commission is now asking states for data on how many vehicles people of which religion have bought, how much land they own, and so on,' he wrote.
He further alleged that the commission's true agenda was not evidence-based policymaking. 'The agenda of this commission is not to formulate better policies based on the foundation of data, but rather to twist and distort the data in such a way that Muslims can be targeted and even their remaining scraps of rights can be snatched away from them,' Owaisi said.
What the HLCDC Reportedly Sought
According to media reports, the HLCDC sought religion-wise data for the past 15 years across several categories, including birth and vehicle registrations, school enrolment figures, property transactions, and district-wise details of religious structures. The committee also reportedly asked for data on unusual increases in Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration card registrations, as well as intelligence assessments and commission reports on religious conversions among Scheduled Tribe communities, and details of operational detention centres.
Background: What is the HLCDC
The Ministry of Home Affairs constituted the HLCDC on 26 May, led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar. Its stated mandate is to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons, and to recommend measures to address those changes. The committee's scope and the breadth of data it has reportedly sought have drawn scrutiny from opposition leaders and civil society groups.
NRC Link and Earlier Remarks
Owaisi had also raised concerns during a media interaction on 27 September, linking the commission's work to the broader framework of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 'It is possible that the NRC could be conducted based on the SIR electoral roll,' he said, noting that Home Minister Amit Shah had previously stated that the NRC would be implemented. The remarks add to a pattern of AIMIM criticism of what it describes as systematic administrative targeting of Muslim citizens, a charge the government has not publicly responded to in this context.
What Comes Next
The HLCDC has not issued a public rebuttal to Owaisi's allegations, and the Ministry of Home Affairs has not commented on the specific data requests attributed to the committee. The controversy is likely to intensify as the committee's interim findings draw closer, with opposition parties watching whether its recommendations feed into any legislative or administrative action on immigration, the NRC, or voter roll revisions.
Point of View
The potential linkage to NRC implementation through the SIR electoral roll would represent a major constitutional and administrative escalation if it materialises. The absence of any government rebuttal to the specific data requests is itself a signal worth noting; silence on scope is rarely reassuring when the subject is communally sensitive data collection.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC)?
The HLCDC is a committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 26 May, led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar. Its stated purpose is to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and suggest remedial measures.
What data has the HLCDC reportedly sought from states?
According to media reports, the HLCDC sought religion-wise data for the past 15 years on birth and vehicle registrations, school enrolment, property transactions, and district-wise counts of religious structures. It also reportedly asked for data on unusual spikes in Aadhaar, voter ID and ration card registrations, and intelligence assessments on religious conversions among Scheduled Tribe communities.
Why does Owaisi call it targeting of Muslims?
Owaisi argues that collecting religion-wise data on assets and transactions goes beyond the committee's anti-infiltration mandate and instead lays the groundwork for singling out Muslim citizens. He contrasts this with what he describes as the government's historical refusal to collect socioeconomic data on Muslims for welfare policy purposes.
What is the NRC link Owaisi raised?
Owaisi said Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly committed to implementing the National Register of Citizens, and warned it could be conducted on the basis of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral roll. He suggested the HLCDC's data collection could feed into that process.
Has the government responded to Owaisi's allegations?
As of 29 September, the Ministry of Home Affairs had not publicly commented on the specific data requests attributed to the HLCDC or responded to Owaisi's allegations of targeting.
