NRC in Jharkhand: BJP's big promise ahead of assembly polls, Shivraj says CM Soren favouring infiltrators

As Jharkhand gears up for its upcoming assembly elections, Union Minister and BJP in-charge for the state, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced on Monday that the BJP will implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) if voted to power. Chouhan accused Chief Minister Hemant Soren of favouring infiltrators for vote bank politics, claiming this has led to demographic changes in the state, particularly in the tribal-dominated Santhal region.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Chouhan said, "The BJP is going to release its election manifesto. This election is not only about making someone a CM or power, but it is about saving Jharkhand. We are determined to protect 'Roti, Mati aur Beti'. Due to infiltrators from Bangladesh, the demography of the region is changing rapidly. Earlier, the tribal population in the Santhal region was more than 44 percent. Now, it has reduced to 28 percent."

Chouhan further emphasised the party's commitment to addressing the issue through the NRC. "The Hemant Soren government is favouring infiltrators for vote bank politics. We will implement the NRC in Jharkhand, in which local residents will be registered, and the intruders will be selected and thrown out," he added.

If this happenes, Jharkhand will be the second state after Assam. In August 2019, the final NRC list was published in Assam, excluding around 1.9 million people from the list of 33 million applicants. Those excluded were given the opportunity to appeal to Foreigners Tribunals to prove their citizenship.

On October 5, the BJP also released its "Paanch Prana" promises for youth and women, as part of their election manifesto. Key promises include the 'Yuva Sathi' scheme, offering Rs 2,000 per month to students preparing for competitive exams, and 'Gogo Didi Yojana', which will provide Rs 2,100 monthly financial assistance to women. The party has also committed to providing 5 lakh jobs in 5 years and offering Rs 500 for gas cylinders under the 'Laxmi Johar' program.

The elections for Jharkhand's 81-member legislative assembly are expected by December 2024, as the current government's tenure ends in January 2025. In the last assembly election in 2020, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha won 30 seats, BJP 25, and Congress 16. The Election Commission has yet to announce the election schedule.