RANCHI: Amidst the politically charged up atmosphere in tribal populated state of Jharkhand which has been on boil over the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators lately, a report linked with the issue has once again made it the focal point of political tussle, prompting sharpen reactions of opposition leaders over the swell in population of infiltrators in bordering division of Santhal.
The ongoing row over the infiltration issue has escalated again after Asha Lakra, a member of the Schedule Tribes Commission has submitted a survey report to the Jharkhand’s Governor, Union Home Minister and the President of Bharat, indicating a significant alteration of demography in Santhal.
The report was submitted after the commission conducted a survey in all the six districts of Santhal division i.e in Sahibganj, Godda, Pakur, Dumka, Deoghar, and Jamtara. According to the reports, the commission has made some startling revelations in its survey report, asserting that a significant change has occurred in the demography of Sahibganj and adjoining districts after the year 1971, as population of illegal Bangladeshi in the region has increased significantly.
The commission in its report however, has expressed its inability to provide the actual figures of infiltrators given the constant change in their numbers, though it suggests a large number of infiltrators in the region on the basis of its findings during the survey.
In its report, the commission has claimed that the infiltrators are entrapping the tribals by providing them with small loans like Rs 5000 which gradually ends up with a debt of Rs 50000 in a short frame of time.
In case of non-payment of the debt, the families are being persuaded in either marrying the girls with the infiltrators or ceasing their traditional lands to them, claimed the report. They (infiltrators) are even paying small amounts to smooth the proceedings of land transfers in guise of donation letters (Daan-Patra).
Many of religious structures such as Mosques, Madrasas are coming on these allegedly donated lands. The commission’s report also mentioned cases of human trafficking, claiming that areas like Borio, Barhet, Mandaro, Taaljhari, Rajmahal, Barharwa, etc. have witnessed cases of human trafficking lately.
The report also deals with the emergence of Jamai Tola, claiming a number of such settlements has emerged in the Sahibganj districts where the infiltrators are residing with the women of the tribal community after marrying them.
The commission’s report has further stated that the tribal women are being lured to become third or fourth wife of the infiltrator they are marrying with and then encouraged to join politics while their husbands are exercising their political power for their own interests. It mentioned that the infiltrators are securing essential documents such as Aadhar and ration cards after occupying the tribal land.
The commission has listed a number of such female tribal public representatives of Barhet, Udhawa, Rajmahal, and Barharwa whose husbands are from the Muslim community. It further has cited examples of a number of areas where tribal lands are being encroached.
जोहार साथियों !
आज के दैनिक भास्कर में छपी यह खबर संथाल परगना में बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठियों का सच दिखाती है। मैंने पहले भी कहा था कि शुतुरमुर्ग की तरह रेत में सिर गाड़ लेने से सच्चाई नहीं बदल जाती।
आदिवासियों के अस्तित्व पर मंडरा रहे इस संकट तथा हमारी माटी, बेटी और रोटी को बचाने… pic.twitter.com/3CmyugPJ9f
— Champai Soren (@ChampaiSoren) October 3, 2024
Now after the revelation of the findings of survey report, opposition leaders have once again intensified their campaign over the issue which is expected to play a major role in the upcoming assembly elections as well, particularly in Santhal which has witnessed a number of communal strife lately.
PIL on infiltration issue in Jharkhand high court
Notably, other than labelling political accusations on each other, the state government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren is also in midst of a legal confrontation with the Union government over the issue of illegal infiltration.
Recently, the state government opposes the formation of a joint fact-finding committee to identify illegal infiltrators as directed by the high court by challenging the directives before the Supreme Court. This comes almost a month after the state government in a written reply denied any infiltration in Santhal region.
Though, the Union government on the other hand has submitted that it is in favour of formation of the committee, asserting that the issue of infiltration is alarming and a grave threat to the national security. In a consolidated report filed before the Jharkhand high court, the Union government had submitted that the population of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Santhal region has reduced by 16 per cent as compared to the year 1951.
The reply filed by the Union government further noted that the Christian population of the area has increased by 6000 while the population of the Muslim community also witnessed a significant rise of around 13% in the same period, eventually leading to a change in demography in specific pockets along dwindling of population share of native tribal group.
The case pertains to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a resident of Jamshedpur who in his petition had claimed that a surge in emergence of religious educational centres such as Madrasas has been noted in the Santhal region. It further cited that incidents linked to illegal infiltrators exploiting local women of Scheduled Tribes (ST) community and occupying their lands through means of conversion and marriages are also on a rise, linking it to the possible involvement of certain Bangladesh based groups behind rise in such cases.
Following months of hearing on the matter, the high court in its recent verdict directed both the state and the Union governments to form a joint fact-finding committee comprising both Union and the state officials to identify the illegal infiltrators, however the state government filed a Special Leave Petition in the apex court, challenging the directives. The development lead to postponement of further hearing into the matter till November 13, by the Jharkhand high court.
It is worth mentioning here, that the state of Jharkhand has a significant population of tribal community which forms around 26% of its total population. It also has almost one third (28) of its state assembly seats (81) reserved for the tribal community, making the community vote share decisive in elections. The state is all set to hold state assembly polls in the winters, given the tenure of the current assembly expiring on January 5, 2025.
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