Illegal Immigrants in Mumbai: TISS Study Gets Strong Rejoinder From Academics for Inconsistencies and Islamophobia

Published : Nov 20, 2024 12:51 IST - 5 MINS READ Over 500 academics, researchers, and public intellectuals have issued a sharp rebuke of a migration study by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, condemning it as “a deliberate attempt to polarise the electorate, vilify marginalised communities, and incite violence against migrants in Mumbai”. The statement says: “Media reports have suggested that the lead researchers in this ‘study’ did not have necessary approvals of board of research and ethical bodies in TISS and failed to follow administrative procedure in reporting the submission of the ‘study’ proposal and funding received.” The signatories demand public disclosure of the study’s funding sources and supporting organisations. “The controversy surrounding one of India’s most prestigious institutions highlights broader concerns about academic integrity in politically charged environments.” The statement criticises the study’s statistical analysis and presentation as flawed: “It uses highly inappropriate and inconsistent data visualisation. “Otherwise as academics we see that there is no way the lack of methodological and conceptual clarity can be justified nor can the numbers and proportions claimed in this study be claimed as representing the real world.” Concerns over academic integrity The controversy surrounding one of India’s most prestigious institutions highlights broader concerns about academic integrity in politically charged environments. The signatories warn that such research could have real-world consequences for vulnerable populations: “It moves beyond academic negligence into the realm of incitement to violence against minorities and poor migrants, contributing to an atmosphere of hostility that places real lives at risk.” The statement concludes with a call for institutional accountability and ethical scholarship: “This report is not merely flawed; it is a deeply harmful document that seeks to provide pseudo-academic legitimacy to ideologies of exclusion and hate.