Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led (JMM) coalition government, in which the Congress is a constituent, for allegedly carrying out ‘love Jihad, land Jihad and forest Jihad’ against tribals by allowing infiltrators to enter Jharkhand. He was addressing an election rally in Dumka, where he was campaigning for BJP candidate Geeta Soren, the eldest daughter-in-law of JMM chief Shibu Soren, who recently quit the JMM and joined the BJP.
“I want to appeal to the tribal brothers and sisters to elect a government which can stop infiltration. If infiltration is not stopped, both the land and forests of the tribals will be in danger. The issue of infiltration is a big question for the tribals. The Congress, Hemant Soren and his Minister who was just arrested, have carried out love jihad, land jihad and forest jihad against the tribals by infiltrating into Jharkhand,” Mr. Shah said.
He then praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and listed his works done in Jharkhand. Mr. Shah pointed out that Mr. Modi launched the country’s major schemes from Jharkhand, such as the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and the Mudra Yojana. Mr. Shah asserted that Mr. Modi believed that until Jharkhand did not develop, the country would not develop.
‘ATM of corruption’
After Dumka, Mr. Shah addressed another rally in Godda in support of BJP candidate Nishikant Dubey, where he again lashed out at the JMM and the Congress, accusing that for them Jharkhand was only a vote bank and ATM of corruption.
Mr. Shah also named the top leaders of INDIA (Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance) bloc and accused them of doing politics for their own son, daughter and nephew and not for the welfare of the poor, tribals and the backward.
“Lalu ji wants to make his son the Chief Minister. Uddhav Thackeray wants to make his son the Chief Minister. Stalin wants to make his son the Chief Minister. Mamata wants to make her nephew the Chief Minister. Sonia ji wants to make her son Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister. They are not bothered about poor people, tribals and backwards,” Mr. Shah said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also campaigned in Godda in support of party candidate Pradeep Yadav, along with former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren was also present on the stage.
‘Misusing Constitution’
“Our people fought for freedom and were hanged. At that time there was neither RSS nor Jansangh. We strengthened democracy and made the Constitution. Today they [BJP] are sitting on the chair because of us, but you are misusing the Constitution. We have to save this Constitution and fight this battle together,” Mr. Kharge said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge greets Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren during a public meeting for the Lok Sabha election, in Deoghar on Friday. | Photo Credit: ANI
He slammed Mr. Modi over his Mangalsutra remark. “Narendra Modi says in his election speech that the Congress will take away the jewellery and Mangalsutra and give it to Muslims. If you have two buffaloes, someone will steal one of your buffaloes. Can any Prime Minister say such a thing?” Mr. Kharge asserted.
Mr. Yadav alleged that the BJP wanted to abolish the Constitution and snatch away the rights and reservation.
Mr. Soren alleged that the BJP gained power in 2014 by misleading the people and for the last 10 years the party did not talk about inflation and unemployment even once.
