Shivraj Chouhan says ‘grave threat’ to Jharkhand if JMM wins assembly polls

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday attacked the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led coalition and said that if it comes into power in Jharkhand, the state will see an increased number of foreign infiltrators in the next five to ten years.

Chouhan said that if the Hemant Soren-led party wins the upcoming assembly polls, “infiltrators” will become the majority in Jharkhand.

Chouhan, while addressing BJP's 'Parivartan' rally in Bokaro, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party alone can protect the state's "beti, mati and roti (daughter, land and bread)" who are under grave threat from the infiltrators.

"If the JMM-led coalition is voted to power in Jharkhand again, days are not far off when infiltrators will rule here... No one can stop foreign intruders from becoming the majority in Jharkhand in the coming 5-10 years," the union minister said.

He further alleged that infiltrators in Jharkhand are grabbing land by marrying local women. Chouhan said that the JMM-led coalition was “patronising” infiltrators, who are being welcomed and given Aadhaar card for vote bank politics in the state.

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Attacking the state government over the deaths during the recruitment drive for constables, Chouhan said, "Have you ever heard of 16-17 aspirants dying during physical test in any other place? The Hemant Soren government promised jobs to 5 lakh youth when it came to power but gave nothing in four years and ten months."

“Now, when elections are on the anvil they are announcing various schemes. Our children with dreams in their eyes went to run for excise constables. Their mothers received them in shrouds,” the veteran BJP leader said.

Referring to the state's 'Mainya Samman Yojna', the Union agriculture minister said the BJP will double the assistance if it is voted to power. He also promised to fill up 2.87 lakh vacant posts in the government if the party came to power.

While the schedule has not been announced yet by the Election Commission of India, the assembly polls in Jharkhand are likely to be held in November-December.

(With inputs from PTI)