Hemant Soren says no NRC or UCC, asks BJP why Hasina was given refuge in India
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of polarising the state on communal lines, chief minister Hemant Soren said on Sunday that neither the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nor the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would be implemented in Jharkhand and only the special land tenancy Acts, Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act , would prevail in the state.
Addressing an election rally at Ranka in Garhwa assembly seat, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president said, “Here neither NRC, nor UCC would be implemented. Here only CNT and SPT would prevail. These people (BJP) are engaged in creating divisions in family. They only spew venom. It’s important to stay safe from them. You all have seen the kind of problems we faced in the past five years.”
The remark comes on the day Union home minister Amit Shah announced the BJP’s election manifesto, which includes implementation of uniform civil code (UCC) in Jharkhand besides taking legal measures to identify and deport Bangladeshi infiltrators.
CNT and SPT are two pre-independence land tenancy Acts in force in Jharkhand for protection of ownership rights of tribals over their lands. As per these Acts, only tribals can purchase land owned by fellow tribals.
Hitting out at the BJP over the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators, Soren accused the BJP of practising ‘double standard’ on the issue and questioned why the Centre allowed former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina to take refuge in India after she was thrown out of power after massive protests in the neighbouring country.
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“Prime minister Modi bowed before the Constitution when he took oath. He said the country would run as per the Constitution and rights of all sections of society would be protected. I want to ask him. Have you done any deal with Bangladesh? Why did you allow her plane to land here. On what basis have you given her refuge?” Soren said.
“You sell power generated in Jharkhand to Bangladesh and then talk about Bangladeshi infiltration. It’s the duty of the Centre to guard the borders and check infiltration. The state has no role in it. Infiltrators enter India through state ruled by you (BJP). Why don’t you check infiltration there?” he said.
Soren also questioned the electoral promise made by Amit Shah to end the Naxal menace in the next two years. “If Naxalism still existed in the state then how come the election in the state is being conducted in two phases, unlike five phases earlier. It’s showing that we have already ended Naxalism in the state,” Soren said.
He alleged that the election was conducted in the state one month before time to prevent him from implementing more welfare schemes in the state.
