Deoghar (Jharkhand) [India]: Ahead of Jharkhand assembly elections, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday lashed out at the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) over the welfare of tribals and stated that the tribal population in Santhal has decreased from 44 per cent to 28 per cent. He added that the tribal society has become a minority in Pakur.
“JMM, which talks about the welfare of tribals, what is it doing? We all know what happened with Rubika Pahadiya and Ankita Singh. The people of Jharkhand should realise that this is not an ordinary election. BJP-NDA is committed to saving ‘Maati, Beti and roti of Jharkhand’. Today, the tribal population in Santhal has decreased from 44 per cent to 28 per cent. Tribal society has become a minority in Pakur. Even today if we don’t stand with the people of Santhal then the future will be dangerous. Where did the tribals go from there?” said Shivraj Singh Chouhan while addressing a public meeting in Jharkhand’s Deoghar.
Slamming Congress for promising benefits to the infiltrators, the Union Minister said, “Infiltrators are grabbing ‘Jal, Zameen and Jungle’ of Tribals here. In this election, Jharkhand’s ‘Maati, Beti and roti’ are at stake. What did it mean when Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir said that if Congress forms govt it will give gas cylinders to infiltrators at Rs 450? This means that there are infiltrators present and these infiltrators are their vote bank….”
The controversy began after Ghulam Ahmad Mir, during a campaign, promised that LPG cylinders would be made available at a subsidized rate of Rs 450 for all, including “infiltrators.” The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is in alliance with Congress, defended the statement.
Earlier in the day, JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said, “Mir sahab has clearly said that we will give it to everyone (LPG cylinders for Rs 450), we do not do ‘jumlabaazi’ (empty promises). We will give it to everyone – Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, tribals, non-tribals, Dalits.”
“In the eyes of BJP, infiltrators are Muslims… Mir Sahab said that we will give it to infiltrators as well, meaning we will give it to all those Muslims who are our citizens, original residents of this place. We are committed, we will give the cylinder for Rs 450, and people also believe in our words,” he added.
The controversy has sparked a political debate ahead of the second phase of Jharkhand’s assembly elections, where voting will take place on November 20. The first phase of voting concluded on November 14 for 43 of the state’s 81 seats. The election results will be counted on November 23.