Demography of Jharkhand changing fast, JMM-led govt silent on infiltration: Himanta

Jamshedpur: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed the JMM-led coalition government in Jharkhand for “maintaining silence” over the issue of infiltration to “pursue its vote-bank politics” in the state.

Sarma, who is also the BJP's Jharkhand election co-in charge, asserted that it is everyone's responsibility to stop infiltration, not just that of the Union government.

The demography of Jharkhand is “changing fast” after Assam, West Bengal and Tripura, but the coalition government in Jharkhand was “silent” on the issue for the sake of “appeasement”, he said while addressing BJP workers on Friday at Tulsi Bhawan here.

The assembly elections are due in Jharkhand later this year.

"Bangladeshi infiltration is at its peak in the Santhal Pargana region of the state. They are grabbing lands of adivasis and Dalits and committing atrocities on them," Sarma claimed.

The number of Bangladeshi infiltrators has gone up “from 20 per cent to 48 per cent in 20 assembly segments of the state”, he asserted.

“If this trend continues, the day is not far when infiltrators will sit in assemblies,” the Assam CM said.

He also said there was “strong resentment” among people against the JMM-led coalition in the state, asserting that the BJP was the only party that can protect Jharkhand’s “glorious culture and tradition” and its rivers, forests and land.