Ranchi: After releasing the poll manifesto of the BJP for the upcoming state Assembly polls in Jharkhand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be introduced in the state if BJP is voted to power. Shah mentioned that the Tribal community will be kept out of the ambit of UCC.
The UCC proposes to create and enforce a single set of personal laws in India that applies to all citizens equally, regardless of their religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
Several minority groups have opposed the UCC, fearing its impact on them. Many tribal groups have also been concerned over the UCC over fears that it would affect their customs and traditions, protected by law and thus create identity crisis for them.
‘Mati, Beti, Roti….Hindus under threat’
The minister also claimed that ‘Mati, Beti, Roti’ (land, daughter and food) were under threat in the eastern state due to the illegal immigrants. Shah claimed that if voted to power, the BJP would provide security to the indigenous people. Dubbing Jharkhand to be the most corrupt state, Amit Shah alleged that Hindus were under attack there and appeasement was at its peak.
Manifesto, an attempt to woo tribals
According to reports, people from Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) constitute around 38 per cent of Jharkhand’s population. In such a scenario, the saffron party has attempted to woo the tribals through its manifesto. It vowed bringing a law for returning the land occupied by the infiltrators to the tribals. The manifesto also promised that the party would ensure that infiltrators marrying tribal women were not given tribal status so as to protect the identity and rights of these communities. The BJP also promise to give financial assistance to develop tribal religious and cultural sites in Jharkhand. If elected to power, the party would allocate Rs 500 crore to protect tribal language, history, culture and traditions, the manifesto claimed.
Shah refers to President Draupadi Murmu
While attacking the Congress for allegedly being ‘against the interests of the backward classes’ Shah said the Modi government had given ‘this community’ respect. “A daughter of Santhal, Droupadi Murmu, is now the President of the country,” he said to exemplify his claims.
His take on infiltration
Blaming the Hemant Soren government of ‘encouraging infiltration’, Shah said if the BJP forms the government in the state, it would drive out infiltrators. “Infiltration has not stopped in Bengal because the local administration is encouraging infiltration. Infiltration has not stopped in Jharkhand because the local administration is encouraging infiltration. There is BSF everywhere, there is BSF in Assam too…Form a BJP government here. From our Patwari to the Chief Minister, everyone will not only stop them but will also deport them…,” he said.