Ranchi: A day after the central government announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate 'abnormal' and 'unnatural' demographic changes across the country, primarily driven by illegal immigration, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday dismissed the move as a political tool of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition BJP has been accusing the state government of appeasement politics, alleging demographic changes in Santhal Pargana due to the presence of illegal Bangladeshis. In the 2024 assembly elections, this was a key narrative for the BJP, but the party failed to gain dividends as the alliance of JMM-Cong-RJD under Hemant returned to office with a thumping majority.
CM's Response to Queries
Responding to a query after the cabinet meeting at Project Building, Hemant said, "Ever since the NDA government came to power at the Centre in 2014, such claims have been repeatedly made without any clear outcome. This is not new. They have been raising this issue for years in public forums. They created similar noise over Assam as well, but what was the result?" He added, "While any illegal activity must be addressed, it is primarily the Centre's responsibility to investigate and act. Whom are they trying to tell this to? Monitoring and correcting such matters is the Centre's job. Is it the responsibility of the state government? Rather than taking any accountability on anything, they tend to hide under attempting to create political narratives to suit their agendas."
Accusations of Diversion
Hemant accused the BJP of diverting attention from pressing economic concerns. "Instead of focusing on real issues, unnecessary matters are being turned into political tools. Petrol and diesel prices are rising, but no one is talking about that," he said. He also questioned claims of India emerging as a 'Vishwaguru', arguing that the country is facing economic challenges. The chief minister's remarks come amid a heated political debate over demographic changes and illegal immigration, with the BJP and the ruling alliance in Jharkhand trading barbs. The central government's decision to form the committee has further intensified the political discourse in the state.
