THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, July 27: The State BJP today strongly reacted to the statement of Congress MLA Shilpi Neha Tirkey in which the legislator has compared Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators to people who have come from Bihar and settled in Jharkhand.
BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said that the MLA should understand that Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh have come and settled in Santhal Pargana and other areas of Jharkhand illegally from other countries. “Whereas people from Bihar have settled here under the law of their country. By comparing these two, she has introduced petty politics,” he maintained.
Notably, the BJP has made the infiltration of Bangladeshis under official patronage a big issue in Jharkhand.
Congress has a long history of appeasing Muslim votes: BJP
Pratul said that the Congress has a long history of appeasing Muslim votes and doing vote bank politics. “The population of tribals in Santhal Pargana has decreased by 16% and the population of Muslims has increased by 13%. All Congressmen are silent on this. But as soon as questions are raised on Muslim infiltration, their irritation becomes visible,” he said.
He said that the powers involved in appeasement for a long time have worked to get voter ID cards and government documents to these infiltrators.
Is State Congress chief Rajesh Thakur also an infiltrator? Asks BJP
He wanted to know from Congress national leader Rahul Gandhi and State President Rajesh Thakur whether they also consider the Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh and the people who have settled in Bihar to be the same. “By that logic, should Rajesh Thakur along with Congress MLA Anup Singh and Minister Banna Gupta also be considered infiltrators,” he asked.
Pratul said that the BJP has been saying from the beginning that Bangladeshi infiltrators have the status of son-in-law in this government. Despite the reprimand of the High Court, the work of identifying them is not progressing. These Muslim infiltrators are directly encroaching on the rights of tribals,” he pointed out.
Pratul demanded an immediate apology from Rahul Gandhi and Rajesh Thakur for this cheap statement of the Congress MLA.
Allegation baseless: Shilpy Neha Tirkey
Shilpy Neha Tirkey, when contacted, said she has not made such a statement. First, you listen to my statement and then seek comment,” she suggested.
Shilpy, MLA from Mandar, is the daughter of Congress Working President Bandhu Tirkey, who climbed the political ladder by raking up the domicile issue after Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000.
