‘Maa, Beti, Roti in Jharkhand in danger due to infiltration’: Union minister Shivraj Chouhan

Jharkhand elections: Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleged that “land of tribal martyrs is in danger because of illegal infiltrators”

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday hit out at the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led alliance in poll-bound state of Jharkhand, alleging that ‘mati, beti, roti’ (land, daughter, and bread) are in peril in the state because of large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan(PTI)

The veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, also the party's election in-charge for Jharkhand, alleged the Congress is yet to condemn the statement of its state in-charge Gulam Ahmed Mir, who purportedly said that if voted to power, the party would provide domestic LPG cylinders to all citizens including “infiltrators”.

“These tribal leaders had made the supreme sacrifice to save ‘jal, jungle, jameen’ (water, forest and land). But now, that land of tribal martyrs is in danger because of illegal infiltrators who were grabbing land and playing with the honour of tribal women,” PTI quoted Chouhan as saying in Deoghar.

‘Adivasis now minorities in several Santhal Pargana villages’: Chouhan

"Adivasis became minorities in several villages in the Santhal Pargana region, including that of martyrs Sidho and Kanhu in Dumka's BhognadihIt is a now or never situation. So, it is not an ordinary election, not to elect a new government, but an election for Mati, Beti and Roti which are at stake due to illegal infiltration,” he said.

, “As soon as the government is formed, from December 1, the price of a gas cylinder will be just ₹450 for everyone, whether he is Hindu, Muslim, or an infiltrator,” Mir said in a viral video, according to PTI.

Referring to Mir's promise, Chouhan said,"They have been blaming BJP for playing divisive politics but the fact was admitted by none other than Congress' in charge of Jharkhand."

The BJP leader regretted that Mir’s statement made on Thursday was not yet condemned or denied by Congress leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and its president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“No action was taken against infiltrators though the Special Branch had issued a circular cautioning the police about their activities,” the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister alleged.

Chouhan asked, “Are they not traitors? Is patronising and providing facilities to infiltrators a Congress agenda? Do they have rights to our mineral reserves? Did the Congress and JMM strike a deal with infiltrators to grab tribal land and play with the honour of tribal women?” They should make their stand clear, the BJP leader said.

Voting in the first phase of Jharkhand election took place on November 13. The second phase of polling is scheduled to be held on November 20. Counting of votes will be held on November 23.

(With PTI inputs)