Modi Accuses JMM of Supporting Infiltrators and Decreasing Tribals

New Delhi/Ranchi: Claiming that the tribal population has been decreasing in the Santhal Parganas because of infiltration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the JMM-led ruling alliance in Jharkhand of "patronising" infiltrators, who, he said, were grabbing land and putting women at risk.

Addressing a public rally in Jharkhand’s Dumka, the Prime Minister said that he had heard that the term "love jihad" was coined by the people of Jharkhand and that efforts were made in one district of the state to change the weekly holiday from Sunday, which was connected to the Christian community, to Friday.

"A big infiltration crisis looms over Jharkhand. The Santhal Parganas is facing the challenge of infiltration. In many areas, the population of tribals is declining fast and the number of infiltrators is on the rise. The infiltrators are grabbing tribal lands. Tribal daughters are the target of infiltrators. Their security and safety are at risk. Their lives are also at risk," he said.

Referring to two incidents from 2022, the Prime Minister said, "Tribal daughters are being chopped into 50 pieces... being burnt alive... someone's tongue was pulled out. Who are these people who are targeting tribal daughters? Why is the JMM government patronising them?"

On the issue of love jihad, Mr Modi said, "A friend was telling me that the term love jihad emanated from Jharkhand. The people of Jharkhand have coined this term."

Accusing the JMM of indulging in communal and appeasement politics, Mr Modi said that despite Sunday being a holiday since the British era, in one Jharkhand district, it was changed to Friday.

"Sunday is not linked to Hindus but to the Christian community. It has been a holiday for 200-300 years. In one district, they changed the holiday from Sunday to Friday. First, they fought with Hindus, now they are fighting with Christians. What is going on?" Mr Modi asked.

"The INDIA bloc's politics is based on the formula of communal appeasement, patronising separatists and protecting terrorists... Those who oppose it face the allegation of dividing Hindus and Muslims," he said.

The Prime Minister said that the Opposition INDIA bloc is providing reservations on the basis of religion. "It will not be tolerated. Till Modi is alive, reservations cannot be provided for vote jihad," he said.

Mr Modi claimed that when he unmasked the communal and anti-tribal veil of the Opposition, he was accused of dividing Hindus and Muslims.

"They think they can frighten Modi by throwing dirt at him, but they do not know that the more they throw dirt, the more lotuses will bloom... Modi is bound to foil their propaganda of hatred," he said.

Alleging that the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand has been looting the state's resources, Mr Modi claimed that the state is now known for "mountains of cash".

"There are scenic mountains in Jharkhand, but now Jharkhand is known for the mountains of cash being unearthed. I had been a chief minister for 13 years but never witnessed such huge amounts of cash. The JMM and the Congress indulged in several scams like the liquor scam, the tender scam and the mining and mineral scam, among others. The Sahibganj scam was alone worth over `1,000 crores," he said.

Mr Modi said that the Opposition leaders are such that they don't even hesitate to change the names of their parents to grab land. They have not even spared Army land.

He also accused the JMM-led alliance of looting the foodgrains sent from the Centre for the Poor and selling them in the black market.

Vowing that action against corruption will intensify in the country after June 4, Mr Modi said scams were routine in the country before 2014 as "the Congress indulged in looting 24x7", but after he came to power at the Centra a decade ago, he stopped it.

The Prime Minister said that the country will see more development work in the next five years than it has witnessed in the last 10 years.

At the rally, Mr Modi also accused the INDIA bloc leaders of being anti-tribal and claimed that they tried hard to defeat Droupadi Murmu, who is a tribal, in the 2022 presidential polls.

The Prime Minister was campaigning for BJP's Dumka candidate Sita Soren, Rajmahal nominee Tala Marandi and Godda MP Nishikant Dubey. Voting in these constituencies will be held on June 1.