Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged that, should the BJP win the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly election, the party will form a committee to identify and remove “infiltrators” from the state. Speaking at a rally in Seraikela on Monday, Shah outlined the BJP’s plan to address what it calls the issue of land being transferred to non-tribal outsiders, particularly through marriages with tribal women.
Shah claimed that “infiltrators” were marrying tribal women to acquire land in Jharkhand. To combat this, he said the BJP would introduce legislation to prevent the transfer of land to such individuals. He also stated that any land that had been taken illegally would be returned to the tribal population of the state.
“Tribal population is declining in Jharkhand. Infiltrators are grabbing land by marrying our daughters. We will bring legislation to prevent the transfer of land to infiltrators if they marry tribal women. We will also form a committee to identify infiltrators, drive them out, and reclaim the land they have taken,” Shah said.
The Home Minister also accused Champai Soren, a former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, of resigning as chief minister earlier this year after raising concerns about infiltration in the state. Shah linked this to broader claims of corruption within the ruling JMM-led coalition.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, another prominent BJP leader, also criticized the JMM-led government, accusing it of allowing Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators to spread anarchy in the state. In his remarks at an election rally in Bhawnathpur, Garhwa, Adityanath described Jharkhand as a “dharmashala” (rest house) for such infiltrators. He further alleged that the state’s natural resources had been exploited by the JMM government.
“The BJP is the only party that can guarantee the country’s security and pride, empower women, and create employment for youth,” Adityanath declared. He also suggested renaming Hussainabad in Palamu district to “Ram Nagar” and claimed that Jharkhand’s daughters were under threat from “Love Jihad,” an issue frequently raised by the BJP in its electoral campaigns.
The elections for the Jharkhand Assembly are scheduled to take place in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with the results to be announced on November 23.