Tribal population decreasing in Santhal Parganas due to infiltration: Modi in Jharkhand

PTI, May 28, 2024, 2:16 PM IST

Claiming that the tribal population was decreasing in the Santhal Parganas because of infiltration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the JMM-led ruling alliance in Jharkhand of ”patronising” infiltrators, who he said were grabbing land and putting women at risk.

Addressing an election rally in Dumka, he alleged that the JMM and Congress were indulging in ”rampant loot” and vowed that action against corruption would be intensified in the country after June 4.

”A big crisis looms over Jharkhand and that is infiltration. The Santhal Parganas is facing the challenge of infiltration. In many areas, the population of tribals is declining fast and the number of infiltrators is on the rise. The infiltrators are grabbing tribal lands. Tribal daughters are the target of infiltrators. Their security and safety are at risk. Their lives are also at risk,” he said.

Apparently referring to two incidents that happened in 2022, Modi said, ”Tribal daughters are being chopped into 50 pieces… Being burnt alive… Someone’s tongue was pulled out. Who are these people who are targeting tribal daughters? Why is the JMM government patronising them?” The prime minister claimed that ”love jihad” started from Jharkhand.

Accusing the JMM of indulging in ”communal politics”, he said that despite Sunday being a holiday since the British rule, in one Jharkhand district, it was changed to Friday.

”Sunday is not linked to Hindus but to the Christian community. It has been a holiday since 200-300 years. Now, they are fighting with Christians also,” Modi said.

He alleged that the JMM-led coalition was looting the state’s resources, claiming that the state was now known for ”mountains of cash”.

”Scams were routine before 2014 as Congress indulged in loot 24×7, but after Modi came to power, he stopped it,” the PM said.

Modi claimed that the ”INDI Alliance” tried hard to defeat Droupadi Murmu, who is a tribal, in the 2022 presidential polls.

He promised that the country would see more development works in the next five years than it witnessed in the last 10 years.