BJP will bring out 'White Paper' on Jharkhand's demography to protect tribal lands, rights: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said rampant infiltration has led to the shrinking of the tribal population in Jharkhand and added that if the BJP forms the next government in the state, it will release a 'White Paper' on demography to protect tribal lands and rights.

Shah expressed confidence in the BJP forming a government in Jharkhand, noting that the party won in 52 of 81 assembly segments in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing party workers at Prabhat Tara Ground during the BJP's extended executive committee meeting, he said, "After forming a government in Jharkhand, we will bring out a 'White Paper' on demography to protect tribal people, their lands, reservation, and rights."

Without naming Hemant Soren, he accused Jharkhand's tribal Chief Minister of being involved in "Love Jihad" and "Land Jihad" due to his "vote bank and appeasement policy," which Shah claimed was causing demographic changes.

He alleged that thousands of infiltrators were entering Jharkhand, marrying tribal women, obtaining certificates, and buying land, thus usurping jobs meant for local people. Shah criticised Soren for focusing on increasing his vote bank and alleged that his welfare measures primarily benefit his family.

"Infiltrators are usurping jobs meant for local people and Hemant Soren is busy increasing his vote bank. His welfare measures means welfare of his family," he alleged.

Shah also targeted INDIA bloc and Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of "showing arrogance" despite losing the Lok Sabha polls and being involved in scams worth Rs 12 lakh-crore, appeasement, dynastic politics, and compromising national security.

"The BJP got more seats in this Lok Sabha election than Congress's combined numbers in 2014, 2019, 2024 polls," he said, alleging that the JMM-led alliance is one of the most corrupt governments in the country and it was time to show it the exit door.

Referring to recovery of over Rs 300 crore from the premises linked to a former Congress MP in Jharkhand, Shah asked people whether they had seen such a huge cash and to whom did the funds belong. He also referred to recovery of about Rs 30 crore from the house of the PA of a former Jharkhand minister and alleged that Congress was encouraging corruption.

"Congress will give tickets to the former minister to contest the election again," he alleged.

Shah highlighted various scams in Jharkhand, including a Rs 1,000-crore MNREGA scam, a Rs 300-crore land scam involving Army land, a Rs 1,000-crore mining scam, and a Rs 40-crore liquor scam, as well as an ongoing 'transfer posting scam' amounting to thousands of crores.

Emphasising the BJP's commitment to Jharkhand's development, Shah noted that during Congress's regime, only Rs 84,000 crore was allocated for the state's development, whereas under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP government ensured Rs 3.84 lakh crore for the state in the past 10 years. He credited the BJP with containing the Naxalite menace and providing the state with its first tribal CM.

"It is the BJP who made a tribal woman the President of India and included Santhali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. A number of schemes for the country were launched from Jharkhand," he said and added that the BJP government also worked for OBC welfare.

"The present cabinet under PM Modi has a 27 per cent representation of OBCs...Modi has done much work for the welfare of OBCs, Dalits and tribals...He has done work towards strengthening national security," he added.

BJP leaders including Union minister Annapurna Devi, Laxmikant Bajpai and Arjun Munda were also present on the occasion.