Prime Minister Narendra Modi with former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Jamshedpur on Sunday. (PTI)
Stating that Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration poses a major threat to Jharkhand as it is “rapidly changing” the identity and demography of the Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions, Prime Minister Sunday accused the JMM-led coalition government in the poll-bound state of encouraging such infiltration for its political interests.
He said the state government is doing “appeasement politics” and “standing together” with the infiltrators.
Addressing a BJP rally in Jamshedpur, Modi said, “The JMM exploited tribal votes for political gains and now they are working with people who have captured the forests and land. At present, infiltration is a big issue for Jharkhand. Two-three days ago, the Jharkhand High Court ordered an investigation by an independent panel. But the JMM government is not ready to accept that there is infiltration.”
“Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration is a major threat in Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions. The identity and demography of these regions are changing rapidly,” he said at the rally at Gopal Maidan, sharing the stage with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who quit the JMM to join the BJP recently, among others.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand, was also present. Assembly elections in the state are expected to be held in November-December this year.
The Prime Minister said the tribal population is “rapidly changing” and land is being grabbed in the Santhal Pargana region — comprising Pakur, Sahibganj, Godda, Dumka, Deoghar and Jamtara districts – and the infiltrators are controlling the panchayats there.
“In Santhal Pargana, the population of tribals is rapidly changing, land is being grabbed, infiltrators have taken control of panchayats and amenities, and exploitation of women is increasing. Because of this infiltration, people in Jharkhand, in cities as well as villages, are feeling unsafe,” Modi said.
“The truth is that the JMM people are standing together with the Bangladeshis and Rohingya. These infiltrators and radicals are also taking control of the JMM, their people have infiltrated the party,” he said.
“Do you know why this is happening? Because the ghost of Congress has entered JMM and when the ghost of Congress enters any party, appeasement becomes the only agenda of that party. As a result, they then sacrifice the interests of Dalits, Adivasis and the backward classes,” Modi said.
On September 12, the Jharkhand High Court, while hearing a PIL on infiltration, had ordered setting up of a committee to look into the issue of declining population of tribal communities in the Santhal Pargana region.
In his address, the Prime Minister not only spoke of infiltration in Santhal Pargana, but also raised similar concerns for the Kolhan region, which is not part of the PIL. The Kolhan region comprises three districts — East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Saraikela Kharsawan.
He said the Hemant Soren government has been trained by the “Congress school of corruption” and it is time to bid farewell to it. Referring to the recent deaths during the excise constable recruitment examination, Modi said, “If the BJP comes to power in the state, it will launch a probe into the deaths of 15 aspirants.”
source : indianexpress