The Maharashtra government has collaborated with IIT Bombay to build an AI-based tool that helps identify suspected illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants residing in the state. According to the sources, the AI model has been tested for some time, but is still far from perfect.
The AI tool will help the authorities, as a support system and not just as definitive proof of nationality. The plan is still pending, prompting a mix of political messages, public debate and questions about rights and accuracy.
The project was released after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke about the tool during the election manifesto. Assuring the government’s promise of a “free Mumbai”, Fadnavis said technology can play a key role in identifying the illegal migrants.
According to the sources, the AI model has been tested for some time, but is still far from perfect. Early-stage results indicate an accuracy of about 60 percent.
The government believes that the project will flourish, improving data quality and imposing finer standards. Civil rights activists and technology experts have raised red flags, warning that language-based identification can easily go wrong.
The activists also pointed out that many Indian citizens, from West Bengal, Assam and border regions, are identical to Bengalis. They suggest this could lead to innocent people being wrongly flagged.
There have been concerns about privacy. Questions are being asked about how the voice samples will be collected and whether people will be aware that they are being paralyzed. The government has not shared detailed answers to these aspects.
Regardless of the AI initiative, the state indicated plans to set up detention centers for undocumented migrants before they are deported.
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