Jharkhand Polls — Himanta Claims Infiltrators Behind Muslim Population Surge: 'Will Ignite Fire Against...'

Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the Muslim population in Jharkhand was increasing due to infiltration, adding that the BJP will throw the infiltrators out from Santhal Pargana after winning polls.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the Muslim population in Jharkhand was increasing due to infiltration.

Source : PTI

Jharkhand Elections: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also Bharatiya Janata Party's co-in-charge for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, said on Monday that the Muslim population in Jharkhand is increasing, while the tribal population was decreasing. He claimed that the reason behind this population surge was infiltration.

"I ignite fire against infiltrators. Lord Hanuman had also set fire in Lanka. We have to set fire against infiltrators and make Jharkhand a golden land. In Santhal Pargana, the tribal population is decreasing and the Muslim population is increasing," he said.

CM Sarma's statement came as the saffron party continues to highlight that the infiltration narrative would be at the centre of its plank against the ruling Hemant Soren-led coalition government.

'Main Priority Is To Throw Out Infiltrators': Himanta Sarma

He further raised questions on how the Muslims population was increasing every five years, stressing that infiltration was the only possible explanation behind the hike. The BJP has also been constantly raising the issue of infiltration in Jharkhand from Bangladesh, especially in the tribal-dominated Santhal Pargana region.

"Not every Muslim is an infiltrator but how is the population of Muslims increasing every 5 years? Is a family giving birth to 10-12 children? If families are not giving birth to so many children, then definitely people are coming from outside. This is simple mathematics," Sarma said.

"We will win the elections but that is not the main priority, it is to throw out infiltrators from Santhal Pargana and justice for women," he added.

#WATCH | Dumka, Jharkhand | Assam CM and BJP co-in-charge for Jharkhand Assembly elections, Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "...I ignite fire against infiltrators. Lord Hanuman had also set fire in Lanka. We have to set fire against infiltrators and make Jharkhand a golden land. In… pic.twitter.com/anQU87IWKf

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2024

The BJP leader made the remarks after an event in Ranchi where he welcomed former Congress working President Manas Sinha into the party ahead of the Jharkhand polls.

When former Jharkhand CM and ex-JMM leader Champai Soren joined the BJP in August, he too reiterated the latter's stance on the issue. He said that joining the BJP would enable him to save identity of the tribals and keep a check on the Bangladeshi infiltration in Jharkhand's Santhal Pargana.

Sarma also stated that the BJP in Jharkhand will implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the Santhal Pargana division.

"Yesterday too you saw the Jharkhand government's internal letter in which it was written that intruders are given training at the Madrasas, and Aadhar cards are made. So many things are coming forward, we believe that after these elections BJP government will be formed and we will implement NRC in Santhal Pargana," he told news agency ANI.

The Jharkhand Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20. The results will be declared on November 23.