Is tribal population in Jharkhand on the decline? BJP-JMM war of words over 'Bangladeshi infiltration'

With days left for Jharkhand to elect its new state government, the ruling JMM and the BJP are engaged in a war of words over the alleged Bangladeshi infiltration. 

It was Union Minister Amit Shah who raked up the issue again while raining fire on the JMM, during an poll rally. Slamming the Soren government for "patronising Bangladeshi infiltrators for vote bank politics", Amit Shah said if BJP is elected to power, it will come up with legislation that will prevent the transfer of land to illegal immigrants.

The Home Minister also accused that the tribal population in Jharkhand, especially in Santhal Parganas and Kolhan regions, was declining due to Bangladeshi infiltration, stating our 'Mati, Beti, Roti' (land, daughter, and livelihood) are under attack due to the JMM-RJD alliance in the state.

This isn't the first time that the BJP is raising the charges. Both Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had targeted the Soren government for allegedly "letting Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators" have a free run in the state.  

Recently, a petition was filed in the Jharkhand High Court by an individual raising concerns over the declining tribal population and demographic changes due to alleged Bangladeshi infiltration in the Santhal region. The High Court had then ordered the setting up of an independent fact-finding committee to probe the infiltration claims in Santhal Pargana.  

According to the Central Government, the tribal population in the region has decreased by 16 per cent. In an affidavit submitted before the High Court, the Centre argued that the Muslim population has increased by 20 to 40 per cent in six different districts of Santhal Pargana while the number of Christians in these areas has increased by 6,000 times. 

The Centre claims that the total population of Santhal Pargana in the 1951 census was 23,22,092, of which Hindus were 90.37 per cent, Muslims 9.43 per cent, and Christians 0.18 per cent. "In the 2011 census, the total population of Santhal Pargana was 69, 69, 097 of which Hindus were 67.95 per cent, Muslims 22.73 per cent, and Christians 4.21 per cent. Of the total population in 2011, the tribal population was 28.11 per cent,” it added.

The Centre said the infiltration happens through Sahibganj and Pakur districts, which are contiguous to West Bengal. These areas were preferred by infiltrators because of a common dialect.

However, the Jharkhand government continues to deny the charges. Soren, in reply to Amit Shah's statements, said it was the Centre who had given asylum to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "I would like to know whether the BJP has some sort of internal understanding with Bangladesh," he said, adding that the infiltrators from Bangladesh enter India through BJP-ruled states.

Many suggest the BJP claims are targeted at the tribal vote bank. Of the state's assembly seats, 28 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), who make up 28 per cent of the population.  The BJP has not been doing well in these seats and is now trying to engage with the tribal community.

During the last Assembly elections, the party had a poor show in the ST constituencies, winning just two in 28. In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP lost all five ST-reserved Lok Sabha seats, despite winning the remaining nine constituencies.