Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi launched a fierce attack on the Congress, missionaries, and the state government over robbing tribal rights, misleading them, and the state’s constantly changing demography.
In a press conference organized at the BJP state office, Babulal Marandi alleged that Congress has always deceived and betrayed the tribals. Congress has used missionaries as associates to mislead and distract tribals. Missionaries too have always confused the tribals.
Marandi said that the demand for a separate Jharkhand state gained momentum right after national independence. However, Congress cunningly ignored and turned a deaf ear to this demand continuously. Referencing the Jharkhand movements led by Jaipal Singh Munda, Kartik Oraon, and Shibu Soren in detail, the Leader of the Opposition described how Congress kept buying off and suppressing these movements.
Marandi asserted that as far as the rights guaranteed to tribals by the Constitution are concerned, they are completely safe under the leadership of Narendra Modi. No one can tamper with the constitutional rights of tribals. Narendra Modi will not let even a scratch touch these rights.
Targeting missionaries, he alleged that a letter was issued by the Archbishop of Ranchi urging tribals to attend a rally. He stated that threats were issued to collect fines ranging from ₹100 to ₹500 from those who failed to attend the rally. He also played an audio clip related to this. Congress poses as a fake benefactor of tribals and a champion of democracy, while missionaries serve as its agents here. One feels both pity and anger at this act by the missionaries. If they play this kind of political game and mislead tribals, it will be beyond tolerance.
Marandi stated that demography is being altered in a planned manner. Neither the missionaries, nor Congress, nor the state government is speaking up on this. Those who beat drums claiming to fight for tribal rights are misleading them.
Marandi noted that in 1951, the tribal population stood at 35.38%, which declined to 26.20% in 2011. Meanwhile, the Muslim population grew from 8.9% to 14.53%. The change in the Christian population was negligible. In 1951, the total Sanatani population was 87.79%, which dropped to 81.17% in 2011. He warned that if the tribal population continues to decline at this rate, it will fall to 22.21% by 2051, the Sanatani population will drop to 76.88%, while the Muslim population will rise to 19%. He also raised the issue with figures regarding the declining percentage of the tribal population and the growth of the Muslim population in Santhal Pargana. He emphasized that tribals and Dalits receive rights under the Constitution proportional to their population, making this an omen of a major crisis. The state government is not concerned about this at all.
