Ranchi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for the ousting of the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand, terming it as anti-Dalit, anti-tribal and anti-poor during a rally in Simaria on Sunday. Shah released the BJP's Sankalp Patra, outlining three significant promises aimed at the OBC and tribal communities.
The Home Minister pledged to increase OBC reservation in Jharkhand from 14% to 27%, assuring that the tribal community would be exempted from the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and promised to return land seized from tribals by Bangladeshi intruders.
Congress spokesperson Kamal Thakur dismissed Shah's announcements as a “hoax,” questioning the necessity of the OBC reservation increase, given that the previous Hemant government had already raised it to 27%. He also criticised the BJP for failing to address ongoing atrocities against tribals in Madhya Pradesh, suggesting that the party's claims lack credibility.
Local leaders from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress argue that the BJP’s push for a UCC is part of a broader conspiracy that threatens tribal rights. However, Amit Shah insisted that tribal customs and traditions would be safeguarded under the UCC if the BJP returned to power in Jharkhand.
The BJP's resolution promises to raise OBC reservations while maintaining the current levels for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC). Since Jharkhand’s formation, the issue of reservation for OBCs has been a contentious political topic. The Hemant government passed a Reservation Amendment Bill in November 2022, which proposed increasing ST reservations from 26% to 28% and OBC reservations from 14% to 27%. However, the bill faced delays after being returned by the Raj Bhavan due to a lack of recommendations from the Backward Classes Commission, which was only constituted earlier this year.
Amit Shah emphasised the need to identify and repatriate Bangladeshi intruders, asserting that tribal lands unlawfully occupied would be returned to their rightful owners. He claimed that tribal women are being specifically targeted as part of a larger conspiracy.
The Uniform Civil Code advocates making a uniform law for all religions and communities. At present, Goa is the only state in the country where the Uniform Civil Code is in force. After this, the Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the draft of the Uniform Civil Code on February 4, 2024. With the approval of the Uttarakhand Cabinet, the way has been paved for presenting it in the state assembly.
