Amit Shah sounds poll bugle in Jharkhand, slams 'most corrupt' Soren govt

Ranchi, July 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched the BJP's campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand, calling for ousting the Hemant Soren government and bringing the BJP to power with a full majority.

Addressing BJP workers during the extended executive committee meeting at the Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, Amit Shah described the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress-RJD government led by Hemant Soren as the "most corrupt in the country".

He also alleged that the Jharkhand government is embroiled in multiple scams, including a Rs 1,000 crore MGNREGA scam, a Rs 1,000 crore mining scam, and a Rs 300 crore land scam.

The Home Minister recalled that Rs 300 crore was recovered from the house of a Congress MP while Rs 30 crore was seized from the house of a personal assistant to a minister in Jharkhand.

"But the Congress is planning to give ticket to the same minister whose PA was detained with Rs 30 crore and is currently in jail," the Home Minister said.

Holding Chief Minister Hemant Soren responsible for the 'Bangladeshi influx' into the state, Amit Shah said the JMM leader calls himself a tribal CM but instead of caring for the tribals, he is "protecting the intruders who, through land and love jihad, are looting their land".

"The number of tribals in Jharkhand is decreasing continuously. Intruders are snatching away their rights. They are getting jobs instead, but Hemant Soren is only concerned about increasing his vote bank," Amit Shah said.

He also promised that as soon as the BJP forms the government in Jharkhand, a white paper will be released to ensure that the tribal population does not shrink, and they get the actual benefits of reservation.

Highlighting the BJP's commitment to tribal welfare, he cited the elevation of Babulal Marandi as the state's first tribal Chief Minister, and Droupadi Murmu as the country's President.

He also claimed that the Narendra Modi government had done more for the tribals, Dalits, and backward classes than any previous government, including ensuring 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs and setting up a commission for the backward classes.

Shah also compared the BJP's development initiatives in Jharkhand with the Congress' alleged neglect of the state during its 10-year rule at the Centre, claiming that the BJP allocated Rs 3,84,000 crore for the state's development, compared to the Congress' Rs 84,000 crore.

The event was also addressed by Union Agriculture Minister and Jharkhand BJP election in-charge Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Annapurna Devi, Jharkhand BJP in-charge Lakshmikant Vajpayee, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi, former CM Arjun Munda, and leader of opposition Amar Kumar Bauri, among others.