‘The population of Bangladeshi migrants has increased manifold in Jharkhand.’
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has vowed to deport each and every Bangladeshi residing illegally in the state. He identified Bangladeshi migrants as the biggest threat to the state after Naxals and said they snatched away jobs from the tribals in Jharkhand. In an interview with The Sunday Guardian, the Chief Minister said he had requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Jharkhand so that only genuine Indian citizens can live there. He said a comprehensive policy for rehabilitation of surrendered Naxals has helped the government in containing Maoist violence in the last four years. At the same time, a number of welfare schemes for youth, women and tribals have created job opportunities in abundance, Das said.
The Chief Minister blamed the Congress for the backwardness of the region and said it cheated the tribals and exploited their sentiments in the last 70 years. Das said the BJP would go to the polls in 2019 with the agenda of development and pro-poor schemes launched by the Narendra Modi government. Taking a jibe at opposition parties’ attempt to form a “grand alliance” against the BJP, he said it was like mixing “oil and water” and that these parties would never be able to form an alliance. People of the country have made up their mind to re-elect Modi as the Prime Minister.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: The opposition unity has troubled BJP in recent by-elections in several states; how do you plan to counter the “Mahagathbandhan”?
A: Opposition parties in India lack compatibility. They can never work amicably just as you cannot mix “oil and water”. Even if oil and water are put together, they cannot mix. Likewise, the allies of the grand alliance cannot be on the same page. We are not concerned about it. We have got a leadership which people trust; we will win the 2019 polls with record margin.
Q: Who is going to be the biggest challenge to BJP in Jharkhand?
A: There is no competitor of the BJP in Jharkhand. They all will be wiped out. The BJP will win more than 60 seats in Jharkhand state polls. The Congress era had come to an end and the BJP era has begun. BJP is ruling 15 states. In four states, we have NDA governments. We are marching ahead while the Congress is retreating. The Congress leadership is not being accepted by regional parties and it has become a “burden” on the country.
Q: How does BJP plan to tackle illegal migrants in Jharkhand?
A: We will take out each and every Bangladeshi one by one. With West Bengal becoming a free zone for Bangladeshis, their population has increased manifold in bordering districts like Godda, Sahebganj and Pakur. In at least six districts of Jharkhand, Hindus have become minority. In Pakur, which shares a border with a district in West Bengal, the Muslim population has gone up to 50 per cent. In Sahebganj too, the percentage has reached 43 per cent. These Bangladeshis have snatched jobs from our tribals and they are involved in all sorts of illegal activities. They are running the pan-India cyber crime racket from Jamtara in the state. I have requested the Union Home Minister to have an NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Jharkhand as well so as to identify all Bangladeshis living illegally in the state.
Q: What will be the BJP’s poll plank in Jharkhand in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the Assembly elections later next year?
A: In the last three and a half years, Jharkhand has achieved an economic growth rate of 8.2 per cent and stands second only to Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Modi. Jharkhand is the first state to have a scheme according to which we charge a token registration fee of just Re 1 if the property is registered in the name of women. Also, we are the only state to give gas stove and first refill free of cost. However, the biggest achievement pf our government is pushing Naxalism in the state on the back foot. Naxalism is nearing its end in Jharkhand. We have adopted a comprehensive policy for rehabilitation of surrendered Naxals. The mindset of tribals and villagers is changing. For the last 70 years, Congress had only exploited the tribals.
Q: Jharkhand has a sizable population of Christians. Do you see any backlash from the community in wake of the recent child-selling controversy involving the Missionaries of Charity?
A: Common people from all communities including the Christians are supporting the government. Only a section of these missionaries is protesting as they are facing the brunt. Sporadic protests in this state against land acquisition or any other issue are 100 per cent sponsored protests. The anti-national forces and the Maoists have just one aim and that is to scuttle the development of the state by misleading people.
Q: Do you support simultaneous elections in the country?
A: I support “one nation, one election”. The Prime Minister has given a call for debate on the issue as it is a matter of consensus and Constitutional amendment is required to implement the same.
Q: Will there be an early election in Jharkhand?
A: Absolutely not. Lok Sabha polls will be held on time and the Assembly Elections in Jharkhand will be on its time. What is the need to hold early elections? My condition is not bad.