PM Modi accuses Jharkhand Govt of threatening ‘Maati, Roti, Beti’, warns of tribal identity crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Jharkhand on Wednesday, addressed rallies in the Santhal Parganas region, accusing the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition government of harboring Bangladeshi infiltrators. Modi stated that the infiltration was causing a significant reduction in the tribal population of the state, particularly in Santhal Parganas, where he claimed the tribal population had halved in recent years. He emphasized the importance of preserving the state’s tribal identity and their connection to "Jal, Jungle, Jameen" (water, forest, land), which he said was being threatened by these changes.

Modi alleged that the current government had been complicit in facilitating the entry of infiltrators, claiming that documents were being forged to provide them with legal status. He also accused the government of allowing tribal women to be exploited under the guise of marriage. According to Modi, these actions were part of a larger conspiracy to alter the demographic and cultural landscape of Jharkhand. He asserted that the BJP-NDA government would ensure the protection of the tribal community’s land, livelihood, and women, reiterating the party’s commitment to safeguarding "Maati, Roti, Beti" (land, livelihood, and daughters).

The Prime Minister also criticized the state government for its handling of central government schemes. He pointed to the failure of key initiatives such as housing projects and the tapped drinking water scheme, which, he claimed, had not reached the intended beneficiaries due to corruption within the state administration. Modi referred to a large cash seizure related to corruption as evidence of the misappropriation of funds, asserting that the BJP would not tolerate such practices.

In response, JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey rejected Modi’s accusations, pointing to the efforts of the previous BJP-led government under Raghubar Das, which attempted to amend the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Acts. These laws are intended to protect tribal land from being sold or transferred to non-tribals. Pandey also questioned the Prime Minister’s handling of border security, urging him to address the issue of infiltration within the scope of his own government, as the responsibility for securing the nation’s borders lies with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. The accusations come as the state prepares for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections on November 20, with the BJP focusing on issues of infiltration and tribal identity as key elements of their campaign.