The Jharkhand High Court has become more strict in response to increased infiltration into the state. It has ordered action to remove Bangladeshi infiltrators from the state. The High Court, while hearing a petition, also requested a report on the presence of infiltrators within the state.
On Wednesday (July 3, 2024), a bench consisting of Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and AK Rai issued orders to oust Bangladeshi infiltrators from the state. The High Court directed the state administration to locate the infiltrators currently in the state within two weeks, identify them, and produce a report detailing the actions taken against them. The High Court additionally asked for a report from the Central Government.
The High Court’s strictness was obvious at the hearing of Daniel Danish’s plea. According to the plea, prohibited Bangladeshi organizations are systematically marrying and converting tribal girls from Jharkhand in the state’s Santal Pargana districts, which border Bangladesh. New madrasas are also developing. 46 new madrassas have opened in this location. Godda, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahibganj, and Pakur are the districts that make up Santal Pargana.
This observation by the High Court underscores the problem in Jharkhand, which has gradually become a canker. The districts of Santal Pargana share boundaries with West Bengal. First, infiltrators enter West Bengal from Bangladesh before traveling to Jharkhand.
The matter of changing demography is not new
Several cases have already surfaced that highlight the Jharkhand High Court’s comments. Earlier in March 2024, Aaj Tak reported on only the issue raised in the plea. According to an Aaj Tak article, Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators enter India through West Bengal. Following this, they settle down. Some of them target tribal girls and forcefully marry them.
After marriage, the girl’s legal identification remains tribal. Following that, land is acquired in the name of the girl, or her own land is taken over. According to the study, infiltrators from Bangladesh receive funding to carry out these activities. The purpose of retaining the girl’s tribal identity is to receive government advantages. In addition, in many localities, girls who married Muslims were forced to contend for election.
According to Aaj Tak’s report, the Bangladeshis who are penetrating this area are doing so for mining purposes. Overall, the identity of this place is steadily changing. Bangladeshi infiltrators are also given bogus identity documents as soon as they enter Jharkhand. People who have already settled here also help them with this.
Infiltration not only in land but also in elections
The problem with Bangladeshi infiltrators extends beyond marriage and property theft. It is even associated with the Lok Sabha elections. Anant Ojha, Rajmahal MLA, told OpIndia a few days ago that Muslim votes have grown dramatically in parts of his area’s villages.
According to Anant Ojha, he received 672 votes in 2019 at his assembly booth number 187. It rose to 1461 by 2024. This indicates it increased by almost 117%. With this, the number of votes cast at the government madrasa booth climbed by 754 to 1189. There are at least 73 such booths within this assembly where voter growth is abnormal.
MLA Anant Ojha told OpIndia that all of these booths are located among Muslim communities. During the same time period, the population of 17 booths with a Hindu population decreased. He had also filed a complaint with the State Election Commission on this matter. The State Election Commission has asked that a team be formed and action taken in this regard.
It is said that physical voter verification is also being discussed in this location. However, the extent of the problem continues to grow. In such a case, the court has also had to intervene. It remains to be seen what action the state administration will take against the Bangladeshi infiltrators following the court judgment.
