Deoghar (Jharkhand), Nov 15 (PTI) Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday alleged that ‘mati, beti, roti’ (land, daughter and bread) are in peril in Jharkhand because of large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh.
Chouhan, also the BJP’s election in-charge for Jharkhand, alleged that the Congress high command is yet to condemn the statement of its state in-charge Gulam Ahmed Mir that if voted to power, the party would provide domestic LPG cylinders to all citizens including “infiltrators”.
The BJP leader paid homage to tribal martyr Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary on Friday, as well as other tribal icons such as Sidhu-Kanhu, Poto Ho and Phulo Jhano.
“These tribal leaders had made the supreme sacrifice to save ‘jal, jungle, jameen’ (water, forest and land). But now, that land of tribal martyrs is in danger because of illegal infiltrators who were grabbing land and playing with the honour of tribal women,” he said in a press conference.
Adivasis became minorities in several villages in the Santhal Pargana region, including that of martyrs Sidho and Kanhu in Dumka's Bhognadih, Chouhan claimed.
"It is a now or never situation. So, it is not an ordinary election, not to elect a new government, but an election for Mati, Beti and Roti which are at stake due to illegal infiltration,” he said.
At the age of 15, Birsa Munda had sought the blessings of his mother to fight the forces engaged in grabbing tribal land, plights and atrocities committed on the community, the BJP leader said.
Born in 1875 in present-day Jharkhand, Munda had challenged British rule and is credited with mobilising tribals against the empire. He died in British custody at an age of 25 years.
Referring to Congress leader in charge of Jharkhand Gulam Ahmed Mir's promise to give LPG cylinders at Rs 450 to even “infiltrators”, Chouhan asserted that it indicated the ruling coalition’s admission about the presence of infiltrators in the state and they were being patronised by the Congress and JMM.
“They have been blaming BJP for playing divisive politics but the fact was admitted by none other than Congress' in charge of Jharkhand,” he claimed.
The BJP leader regretted that Mir’s statement made on Thursday was not yet condemned or denied by Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and its president Mallikarjun Kharge.
No action was taken against infiltrators though the Special Branch had issued a circular cautioning the police about their activities, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister alleged.
Leaders of the ruling coalition help the infiltrators from Bangladesh get government documents such as Aadhaar and voter cards as they use the foreigners as their vote bank, he claimed.
He asked, “Are they not traitors? Is patronising and providing facilities to infiltrators a Congress agenda? Do they have rights to our mineral reserves? Did the Congress and JMM strike a deal with infiltrators to grab tribal land and play with the honour of tribal women?”
They should make their stand clear, the BJP leader said.
About the BJP’s major poll plank infiltration in Santhal Paragana region, Chouhan expressed concern over the “fast-changing” demography and “depleting” tribal population.
The population of Adivasis in Santhal Paragana has dwindled to 28 per cent as per government record from 44 per cent, while the situation was nothing different in Pakur and Sahebganj districts, where infiltrators became majority in dozens of villages, he alleged.
“If we do not stand by Adivasis and moolvasis (non-tribal natives) today, the situation will turn grave. The situation is like ‘Abhi nahi, toh Kabhi nahi" (It is now or never),” Chouhan said.
Dozens of villages in Santal Paragana is now known as "Jamai tola" as the infiltrators marry tribal women, encourage them to contest Panchayat polls and grab panchayat bodies once these women win, he claimed.
“We will enact a law and take back Adivasi land grabbed by the infiltrators,” he said.
To a query, Chouhan claimed that infiltration used to take place in Assam under the Congress regime but it has completely stopped since the BJP came to power.