‘Hemant Babu, countdown for your exit has begun’, says HM Amit Shah

Seraikella, Nov 11 (IANS) Claiming that the countdown for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s exit has begun, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday promised to set a committee in the state to identify and uproot “infiltrators” besides restoring the pride of tribal leader Champai Soren.

Addressing an election rally at Seraikella on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of voting in Jharkhand on November 13, the Home Minister said Champai Soren was insulted by Hemant Soren by removing him from the Chief Minister’s post but let me remind him, “Hemant Babu, your days are numbered as the countdown for your exit has begun”.

He also promised that the BJP would never allow the Congress to increase the Muslim quota, based on its Maharashtra model, and shrink the reservation for Jharkhand’s tribals, Dalits and OBCs. 

“You tell me, should the reservation for these sections be allowed to be cut?” he asked the audience at the packed venue.

Seeking votes for Champai Soren and highlighting the alleged ill-treatment meted out to him by the scam-riddled JMM-Congress, HM Soren said he was humiliated for raising his voice against corruption and fighting for the rights of tribals.

While offering greetings to Champai Soren on his birthday, the BJP leader launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, alleging that the two work only to enrich their supporters and make them crorepatis.

“In contrast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi works to make poor women ‘Lakhpati Didis’,” he said.

Referring to alleged corruption under the Congress-JMM rule, the BJP leader said the Rs 350 crore illegal money recovered recently from their leaders was meant for the youth and building homes and schools.

Asking voters to elect a BJP government in the state, the Home Minister said, “I assure you that every penny stolen by the corrupt will be restored to the government account and the corrupt will be sent to jail.”

Enlisting the alleged scam perpetrated by the Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand, he said they carried out a Rs 1,000 crore scam in rural jobs; Rs 300 crore land scam and usurped defence land, Rs 1,000 crore mining scam  and liquor scam of thousands of rupees.

Invoking tribal pride, the Home Minister said the new BJP government in Jharkhand will enact a law to prevent infiltrators from owning land by marrying tribal girls.

“Even the land which has already been usurped by infiltrators will be restored to tribals,” he said, promising to constitute a committee to identify and uproot infiltrators.

He said the Modi government had also decided to set up 10 museums across the nation to highlight the achievements of tribal freedom fighters.

The Home Minister said the Modi government has also decided to observe ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ on November 15 every year, a step towards honouring tribals.

Sharing the NDA government’s concern for tribals, he said that for tribal-dominated state the UPA government of Soniaji and Manmohanji gave only Rs 84,000 crore between 2004-14.

“But Modiji increased the allocation for them to Rs 3.90 lakh crore between 2014-24,” he said.

He also reached out to the youth and promised jobs for them so that they are not forced to work as labourers in other states.

The Home Minister added that the BJP will also open 10 new medical colleges, an internship and skill centre and give Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to widows and the physically-challenged.

Voting in Jharkhand will be held in two phases on November 13 and November 20 to pick a new 81-member Assembly. The results will be declared on November 23.