Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections are crucial for protecting tribals and Hindus, as the "demography of the state is changing due to Bangladeshi infiltration".

Sarma, who is also the BJP's election co-incharge for Jharkhand, was addressing party workers during the extended executive committee meeting of the party in Ranchi's Prabhat Tara Ground.

Sarma expressed concern that after Assam and West Bengal, Jharkhand might be the next target for Bangladeshi infiltrators.

He claimed that in several districts of Jharkhand, the Muslim population has reached up to 30 per cent, stressing that the elections are crucial for safeguarding the interests of tribals and Hindus.

He also mentioned that the Muslim population in Assam has reportedly reached 40 per cent, with 36 per cent attributed to infiltrators.

Sarma warned that if this trend continues, Assam could become a Muslim-majority state by 2041. Additionally, he noted that the Muslim population in neighboring West Bengal has grown to 26 per cent and is increasing by 29 per cent every decade.

Sarma alleged that infiltrators in Jharkhand are marrying tribal girls to acquire their lands. He criticised Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accusing him of failing to act against these infiltrators. Sarma proposed a law prohibiting infiltrators from marrying tribal women.

He also alleged discriminatory practices, claiming that while permission is granted for Muharram processions, Ram Navami rallies face restrictions.

Sarma alleged that during recent Muharram processions, disturbances occurred in several locations, including Barkagaon and Jamshedpur, and that Palestinian flags were displayed without government intervention. He vowed that the BJP would take strict action against such activities if they come to power.

"The Congress and JMM speak about the Constitution. Does the Constitution allow hoisting of Palestinian flags? When the BJP forms the government in Jharkhand, strict action will be taken against those who had hoisted the flags," Sarma said.

He alleged that if the JMM-led government returned to power, more Palestinian flags would be seen and infiltration would rise, Ram Navami processions would be stopped, youths would not get jobs and atrocities on women would increase.

"The JMM government has cheated the youths by promising them five lakh jobs. The government had also claimed that if jobs were not provided, they (youths) would be given unemployment allowances. But, they (state government) did not give either jobs or unemployment allowances to the youths," Sarma said.

He exuded confidence that the BJP would form the next government in Jharkhand.

"We won nine Lok Sabha seats in the state and took a lead in over 51 assembly segments. To form a government in Jharkhand, only 42 seats are required," he said.

In the recent parliamentary elections, the BJP secured eight out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand, with its ally AJSU Party winning one seat. The ruling JMM won three seats, and the Congress claimed two.

Addressing the party workers, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed that Jharkhand would be destroyed if JMM-led alliance government returned to the state again.

Chouhan, who is also the election in-charge for Jharkhand, alleged, "7,812 murders, 7,115 rapes, 9,637 kidnappings, 2,721 loots and 485 dacoities have been reported across the state over the past four years." On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given Rs 10,625 crore for national highways, Rs 27,459 crore for railway, 35.27 lakh connections under Ujjwala scheme and free ration to 2.70 crore people in Jharkhand, he claimed.

"We have to protect Jharkhand and its people. So, we resolved to uproot the dishonest and corrupt JMM-led alliance government from the state," he said.

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