Amit Shah vows BJP to implement UCC in Jharkhand

Ranchi: If elected to power in Jharkhand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared Sunday that the BJP would enforce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, but that tribals would be out of its ambit.

Shah declared the creation of a Displacement Commission to guarantee the rehabilitation of those displaced by the state's mines and industries during the release of the saffron party's manifesto, "Sankalp Patra," for the next assembly elections in Jharkhand.

"Our government will introduce UCC in Jharkhand but tribals will be kept out of its ambit. Hemant Soren and the JMM government are spreading false propaganda that UCC will impact tribal rights, culture and relevant legislation, which is totally baseless as they will be kept out of its ambit," Shah said in Ranchi.

He said that though UCC would be implemented, it will be ensured that tribal rights are not impacted.

"The BJP, if voted to power in Jharkhand, will deliberate on the Sarna religious code issue, and take appropriate decisions," he said.

Shah said that the saffron party, if voted to power, will create 5 lakh employment opportunities, including 2.87 lakh government jobs, in Jharkhand.

The Home Minister said that the BJP will bring in a law to take back land from infiltrators in Jharkhand and identify and deport illegal immigrants. He claimed that 'Mati, Beti, Roti' (land, daughter and food) were under threat from the illegal immigrants and the BJP would provide security to the indigenous people.

The local administrations encourage infiltration in West Bengal and Jharkhand, Shah alleged.

"Crimes against women rose by 29 per cent during the five-year tenure of corrupt and insensitive Hemant Soren government, while rape cases saw an increase of 42 per cent during the period," Shah alleged.

He accused the JMM-led government of patronising infiltrators while claiming that the tribal population was dwindling in the state and demography was changing fast.

Shah promised that the BJP would bring in a stringent law to take back land from infiltrators in Jharkhand as well as to drive them out.

He announced 'Operation Suraksha', promising to end human trafficking in Jharkhand by 2027, besides the elimination of Naxalism from the state in the next two years.

Shah said voters will have to choose between the "corrupt JMM government that patronises infiltrators" and the BJP which doesn't allow anyone to cross the border illegally.

"Hindus are under attack and appeasement is at its peak. Jharkhand is the most corrupt state in the country," he alleged.

There will be CBI and SIT probes into "paper leaks" in competitive exams in Jharkhand and culprits will be put behind bars, he said.

The BJP manifesto provides that the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) Competitive Exam will be cancelled and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will investigate the previous CGL exams and all major paper leak cases.

Besides, it promises to make Jharkhand the hub of eco-tourism in the country.

"We will set up 10 new medical colleges in the state. We will increase the coverage under Ayushman Bharat Jeevan Dhara Yojana from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for elderly persons aged over 70 years. We will increase the number of beds in primary health centres and community health centres by 25,000," he added.

Shah promised that all poor in Jharkhand would be provided with houses if the BJP comes to power in the state.

A total of 21 lakh houses will be constructed under PM Awas Yojna, while elderly, widows and persons with disabilities will get Rs 2,500 as a monthly pension, he added.

Under the Matritva Suraksha Yojna, every pregnant woman in the state will be given six nutrition kits and assistance of Rs 21,000, while free education will be provided from "KG to PG" to the girls hailing from poor and backward communities under Phulo Jhano Padho Bitia Yojna, he said.

"Hemant Soren is sitting on the lap of Congress and RJD. He is asking for Rs 1.36 lakh crore coal dues from the Centre. I want to make it clear that the UPA government gave only Rs 84,000 crore grant-in-aid between 2004 and 2014 whereas Prime Minister Modi gave Rs 3.08 lakh crore from 2014-2024 in addition to funds for infrastructure and rail development," Shah claimed.

He said the BJP government will ensure the construction of 25,000 km of highways, besides the expansion of the rail network to connect every district headquarters with the state capital Ranchi.

The BJP would provide financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to graduate and postgraduate students for up to two years, he said.

Also, the BJP will launch the 'Gogo-Didi' scheme to provide Rs 2,100 per month to women as part of its mission to empower them, he added.

Shah said the BJP will re-launch the scheme for registration of property worth up to Rs 50 lakh in the name of women for Re 1 stamp duty, which was scrapped by the JMM-led government.

He released 25 key points of the saffron party's manifesto to underline 25 years of Jharkhand's formation and a 150-point document, marking the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda. The manifesto was prepared based on 1.82 lakh suggestions from people.

Shah arrived in the state capital Ranchi on Saturday night and was scheduled to address three rallies at Ghatshila, Barkatha and Simaria assembly constituencies during the day.

Elections to the 81-member assembly in the state will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, and votes will be counted on November 23.

With PTI inputs