Jharkhand Election 2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been using Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s ‘Batenge to katenge’ slogan in poll-bound states. Now, in the poll-bound Jharkhand, the BJP is warning voters against the ‘demographic shift’. Campaigning for the 81-member assembly polls, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the illegal infiltration could turn the state into ‘mini-Bangladesh’.
The BJP co-in-charge for Jharkhand assembly elections claimed that the infiltrators are disrupting the state’s culture and ‘Adivasi asmita’. He said that if this trend continues the tribal state could experience a strong demographic shift. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also stated that the BJP would implement NRC if voted into power. “Due to unchecked infiltrator settlement, Santhal Parganas area is becoming Mini Bangladesh. To stop this, we will take firm steps – NRC in Jharkhand, Children of infiltrators won’t be given Adivasi status and Spouses of infiltrators cannot be Mukhiyas,” said Sarma on X.
Due to unchecked infiltrator settlement, Santhal Parganas area is becoming Mini Bangladesh. To stop this, we will take firm steps
NRC in Jharkhand
Children of infiltrators won’t be given Adivasi status
Spouses of infiltrators cannot be Mukhiyas@BJP4Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/0xz00AuIQu
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 28, 2024
“The infiltrators are causing a huge disturbance in Jharkhand’s culture and ‘Adivasi asmita’. If this continues, Jharkhand will see a demographic change and become a mini-Bangladesh. Santhal Pargana is in line to become mini-Bangladesh,” said Sarma.
Elaborating on the party’s promises for the polls, he said, “I have made three announcements- when we form government, NRC will be implemented and will throw out infiltrators. Second, if an immigrant has lured and married a tribal girl, their children will not be entitled to the benefits of STs. Third, if an immigrant marries a tribal girl, we will ensure that the girl does not contest the elections for the head of the tribe. It gives the immigrant an undue and indirect advantage to rule.”
Assam CM Himanta accused the Hemant Soren-led state government of letting ‘intruders’ enter the state and said that the main priority is to throw out infiltrators from Santhal Paragana. He stated that in the Santhal Pargana, the tribal population is decreasing and the population of the Muslim community is increasing.
“I ignite fire against infiltrators. Lord Hanuman had also set fire in Lanka. We have to set fire against infiltrators and make Jharkhand a golden land. In Santhal Pargana, the tribal population is decreasing and the Muslim population is increasing…..Not every Muslim is an infiltrator but how is the population of Muslims increasing every 5 years? Is a family giving birth to 10-12 children? If families are not giving birth to so many children, then definitely people are coming from outside. This is simple mathematics. We will win the elections but that is not the main priority, it is to throw out infiltrators from Santhal Paragana and justice for women,” the Assam CM said.
Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha of neglecting tribal communities due to vote bank politics.
Jharkhand is holding elections for its 81 assembly seats in two phases, scheduled for November 13 and November 20, with vote counting set for November 23. The state has a voter base of 2.60 crore people, including 1.31 crore male voters and 1.29 crore female voters. Among these are 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 66.84 lakh young voters.
