Bangladeshi, Rohingya infiltration major threat to Jharkhand: PM Modi

PTI Jamshedpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the ruling JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand of encouraging Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration for vote bank politics. He asserted that these infiltrators pose a significant threat to the state by altering the demographic landscape of Santhal Parganas and Kolhan regions. “Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators have become a major threat to Santhal Parganas and Kolhan regions. The demography of these regions is changing fast. The tribal population is on the decline.

The infiltrators are establishing control of the panchayat system, grabbing land, indulging in atrocities on daughters of the state... Each Jharkhand resident is feeling unsafe,” the Prime Minister said while addressing the ‘Parivartan Maharally’ of the BJP at Gopal Maidan here. He also alleged that the JMM was “supporting infiltrators” and that “illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country have managed to gain influence over the ruling party in the state.” Modi criticised the Jharkhand government for refusing to acknowledge the ongoing infiltration, despite a High Court order to establish an independent panel to investigate the “infiltration of Bangladeshi immigrants” in the state. Modi termed the JMM, RJD and the Congress as the “biggest enemies of Jharkhand”, asserting that these parties were “power-hungry” and “indulged in vote bank politics”.

The Prime Minister alleged that the RJD was still taking revenge for the creation of Jharkhand while the Congress hated the state and prevented tribals from coming to the mainstream. “JMM which came to power through tribal votes is siding with forces which are usurping tribal land and forests,” the PM said and added that JMM was doing vote bank politics at the cost of dalits, backwards and tribals. Modi asserted that the JMM has been engaging in vote bank politics in the name of tribals for the past five years.

He said, “A tribal chief minister Champai Soren was insulted and ousted for the JMM’s greed for power. This has dealt a severe blow to the tribals of Jharkhand, and a fitting reply will be given to the party. Even Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, was subjected to disrespect.”