BJP Using Bangladeshi Infiltrators Issue to Create Religious Polarization Ahead of Jharkhand Elections? Read What Report Says

Ranchi- In recent times, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been consistently propagating that a significant number of Bangladeshi infiltrators are settling in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand by encroaching on Adivasi land and marrying Adivasi women.

This, they claim, has led to a decrease in the Adivasi population. To understand the ground reality, a delegation of Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha and Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan went to Santhal Pargana and fact-checked every related matter. The facts found were shared recently in a press conference at Press Club, Ranchi. The report contradicts the assertions, providing a detailed account of the situation on the ground.

BJP's Claims and Communal Rhetoric

• Bangladeshi Infiltration: The BJP has repeatedly asserted that large numbers of Bangladeshi Muslims are illegally settling in Santhal Pargana. According to them, these infiltrators are not only seizing Adivasi land but also marrying Adivasi women as part of a strategy to acquire land and reduce the Adivasi population.

• Communal Violence: BJP leaders have linked recent incidents of violence in the region to these alleged infiltrators. They claim that these incidents, involving Muslims, Hindus, and Adivasis, are a result of Bangladeshi infiltration and have used these cases for social and political mobilization ahead of elections.

• Population Decline: The BJP claims that the Adivasi population in Santhal Pargana has declined by 10-16% over the past 24 years due to the influx of Bangladeshi infiltrators, presenting this as a critical issue threatening the region's demographic balance.

Findings of the Fact-Finding Team

1. No Evidence of Infiltrators: The fact-finding team visited various villages in Pakur and Sahibganj, speaking with students, villagers, victims, and local leaders. They found no evidence of Bangladeshi infiltrators settling in the region. Even local BJP leaders admitted that the Muslims in the area are locals, not infiltrators.

2. Local Disputes Misrepresented: The report clarifies that recent incidents of violence, such as those in Gaibathan, Gopinathpur, and Taranagar-Ilami, were due to local disputes, not instigated by outsiders. For example:

   • Gaibathan Village: A long-standing land dispute between an Adivasi family and a Muslim family led to a scuffle, which was later misrepresented as a communal issue involving infiltrators.

   • Taranagar-Ilami: Violence erupted after rumors spread about a Muslim youth sharing a photo of a Hindu girl. However, the investigation revealed it was a local issue, not connected to any external influence.

   • Gopinathpur Incident: Violence over Bakrid sacrifices was also found to be a local conflict between neighboring communities, not a result of infiltration.

3. Census Data Misrepresented: The BJP's narrative about the declining Adivasi population due to infiltrators is also challenged by the report.

   The BJP has been consistently claiming that the Adivasi population has decreased by 10-16% in the past 24 years due to Bangladeshi infiltrators. As per the fact finding report, there is no evidence of Bangladeshi infiltrators settling here. Secondly, according to census data, in 1951, the Santhal Pargona region had 46.8% Adivasis, 9.44% Maslins, and 435% Hindus. By 1991. the Adivasi population became 31.89%, while the Muslim population became 18.25%.

   According to the latest census (2011), the region had 28.11% Adivasi, 22.73% Muslims, and -49% Hindus. Between 1951 and 2011, the Hindo population increased by 24 lakh, the Muslim population by 13.6 lakh, and the Adivasi population by 8.7 lakh.

   It is clear that the data presented by the BJP in Parliament and the media are false. However, the declining proportion of Adivasis in the total population is a serious issue, and there is a need to understand its root causes. According to census data from 1951 to 2011, the decrease in Adivasi population is more complex, attributed to several factors

   • Lower population growth rates among Adivasis due to inadequate healthcare, nutrition, and economic hardships.

   • Migration of Adivasis due to lack of opportunities, which affects their population growth.

   • Sale of Adivasi land to non-Adivasis, leading to changes in the region's demographic structure.

4. Illegal Land Sales and Violations: The report highlights widespread violations of the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPTA), which prohibits the sale of Adivasi land to non-Adivasis. Due to economic hardship, many Adivasis are forced to sell their land through informal and illegal transactions, often to better-connected non-Adivasis. This land alienation is a critical issue being overshadowed by BJP's communal rhetoric.

5. Marriage Claims Debunked: The BJP has also propagated that Bangladeshi Muslims are marrying Adivasi women to acquire land. However, the fact-finding team found that these claims are baseless. Among the women listed by BJP, most married local Muslims by mutual choice, and there was no evidence of forced marriages or involvement of Bangladeshi infiltrators. The report says, there are many examples in the region of Adivasi women marrying non-Adivasis, both Hindus and Muslims. Adivasi women married non-Adivasi men by mutual choice and consent. It is also important to note that the dissemination of lists and personal information about these women on social media by political parties and individuals is a gross violation of their right to privacy.

6. Social Polarization Before Elections: The report accuses the BJP of using the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators to create social and religious polarization ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections. It warns that such rhetoric is damaging the social fabric of the region and diverting attention from the real issues facing the Adivasi community.

Demands Made by Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha and Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan

Action Against Communal Rhetoric:

Immediate action should be taken against BJP leaders, other political leaders, and social organizations for using terms like "Bangladeshi infiltrators," "land jihad," and "love jihad" to spread communalism. These actions should not be allowed to disrupt the social fabric of society.

Justice in Violence Incidents:

• Adequate action should be taken against culprits involved in the incidents at Gaibathan, Taranagar-Ilami, Gopinathpur, Kulapahari, and KKM College.

• Severe action should be taken against police officers and personnel responsible for the violence against students in the KKM College hostel.

Enforcement of Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act:

• The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act should be strictly enforced, ensuring that Adivasi land is not sold to non-Adivasis under any circumstances.

• The revisional survey should be completed as soon as possible, and the survey report should be released.

• Fifth Schedule provisions and the PESA (Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act) should be strictly implemented.

End the Phone System for Reporting Infiltrators:

• The phone system established by district administrations in Santhal Pargana for the public to provide information about Bangladeshi infiltrators should be immediately stopped.

High-Level Committee Formation:

• The state government should form a high-level committee to study the economic conditions of Adivasis in all Fifth Schedule areas, including Santhal Pargana.

• The committee should investigate reasons for low population growth, settlement of non-Adivasis, capture of jobs by non-Adivasis, migration of Adivasis, and other related issues.

• The state government should take immediate action on the core issues highlighted in the report.