New Delhi: Implementation of a Uniform Civil Code that would leave out tribals, return of tribal land allegedly occupied by “infiltrators”, no tribal status to children of “infiltrators” marrying tribals – these are some of the promises made by Union home minister Amit Shah in Ranchi as he released the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Sankalp Patra or poll manifesto for the upcoming Jharkhand elections.
The launch was attended by BJP’s Jharkhand co in-charges Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with Sanjay Seth and BJP Jharkhand president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi. The saffron party placed the tribal community at the centre of its promises while once again raising the bogey of infiltration. Tribal communities form about 27% of the state’s population.
“Infiltrators lure our tribal sisters and daughters in Jharkhand, marry them and grab their land in return. We promise you that we will bring such a law that tribal land will not be transferred to the name of any intruder and those who have grabbed it will have to return it,” said Shah in his address announcing the party’s poll promises.
In addition to promising that tribal lands allegedly occupied by infiltrators will be reclaimed and returned, the party has also promised that the children of such infiltrators marrying tribals will not be granted tribal status.
“The tribal population is decreasing throughout Jharkhand because Bangladeshi infiltrators are coming here. The Hemant Soren government filed an affidavit in the high court saying that “We [JMM government] do not want to stop infiltration.” Champai Soren opposed this and left JMM and joined the BJP. You form a BJP government here, we will drive out the infiltrators from Jharkhand,” he added.
In the run-up to the Jharkhand assembly elections, BJP leaders including Shah, Sarma and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have alleged in their poll speeches that population of “Bangladeshi infiltrators” is increasing in Jharkhand at the behest of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government.
“They have never let Adivasis advance. They are preparing a new vote bank in Jharkhand…The Santhal Parganas are a living example of this. Here, Adivasi residents are constantly decreasing and infiltrators’ numbers are increasing consistently,” said Modi at a speech in Hazaribagh on October 2.
“Such a quick change in the demography signals a decline in the population of Adivasis and Hindus. Are you able to see this change in Jharkhand or not? Has the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators increased rapidly or not?”
Earlier in September, Bangladesh had lodged a protest note with India over similar comments made by Shah.
On Saturday, the INDIA bloc, which includes the JMM, Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and CPI(ML) wrote to the chief electoral officer in Jharkhand against similar statements amounting to hate speech made by Sarma in his poll rallies.
While the BJP has been pushing towards the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country, in a bid to blunt criticism around how such a code will affect tribal rights and laws, the party has promised that such a code will exempt the tribal community in the state.
“UCC will definitely be brought in Jharkhand. But our government will exempt Adivasi from [its] ambit, and none of their rights or laws will be affected by it,” said Shah.
In addition to this, the party has promised a monthly payment of Rs 2,100 to women across the state and LPG cylinders at Rs 500 including two free cylinders per year.
Following the release of the BJP’s poll manifesto, Sarma reiterated the “infiltrator” rhetoric to reporters and urged the people of Jharkhand to stay united.
“If we stay united we will stay safe. Infiltrators come to Jharkhand, who have endangered the identity of our tribal society and Hindu society. Rahul Gandhi has made continuous efforts to divide the Hindu society. This is the time to stay united. If you stay united, you will be safe, otherwise, the infiltrators will snatch away your – roti, mati, beti (food, land and daughter) – all three will be snatched away from you,” he said.
After the release of the manifesto, the Congress alleged that communalism is the only campaign issue of the BJP.
“From the manifesto it has released for Jharkhand today, it is clear that the BJP has only one campaign issue: polarisation and the spread of the communal virus,” said Congress MP and general secretary media and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh.
“The language of the Union home minister who released the manifesto, and that of its campain-in-charge – the Assam chief minister – makes it abundantly clear that the BJP has simply no answer to the extremely popular and impactful schemes of the JMM-INC government in the state. It will depend only on the spread of bigotry, prejudice, and the incitement of hatred in the name of religion.”
