BJP leader and Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin speaks to the media on December 8, 2024. Photo: X/@NitinNabin
On the lines of Jharkhand, Bihar Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Nabin on Sunday (December 8, 2024) raised the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration.
The Minister asserted that the Bihar government will take strict action against the illegal immigrants taking shelter in Seemanchal regions where Muslims population is over 47%.
Bangladeshi infiltration issue raised by the BJP in Jharkhand backfired and the party saw a humiliating defeat, winning less seats than the last Assembly elections in 2019.
Keeping in mind the Assembly election in Bihar due next year, BJP has once again started its move to build momentum with the issue, which did not work in the neighbouring Jharkhand.
“Action must be taken against Bangladeshi staying in Bihar. In Seemanchal region there is high possibility of infiltration. The resources of Bihar and India must be utilised by the people staying here and not by Bangladeshi. These people must be identified and action should be taken,” Mr. Nabin said while speaking to the media in Patna.
Seemanchal, located in north Bihar, comprises four districts: Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria. The four districts represent 24 Assembly constituencies. Seemanchal is therefore important for the 2025 Assembly polls both for the INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar.
When the caste-survey was carried out in Bihar — the BJP was then not the alliance partner of Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) — the saffron party had questioned the format in which the exercise was carried out and termed it “flawed” alleging that it could potentially “tamper with the citizenship register.”
The party had said that the process ignored the threat of counting illegal Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya as Indian citizens. Seemanchal is a border region with Nepal next door and Bangladesh not far away.
Seemanchal, which has a high concentration of the Muslim populations, is considered the stronghold of the Opposition Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar.
In the recently concluded Jharkhand Assembly elections, out of 81 assembly seats, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led INDIA bloc won 56 seats while the NDA secured 24 seats.
Bangladeshi infiltration, demography change and corruption were among the major issues the BJP kept raising in Jharkhand during its campaign.
When asked that the issue was raised by BJP in Jharkhand but did not work, Mr. Nabin further said, “This not an issue, it is a matter of investigation and we cannot tolerate Bangladeshi infiltration in Bihar.”
However, alliance partner JD (U) distanced itself from the statement of the BJP Minister.
“Nitish Kumar ji has already carried out the caste based survey and its report is there in public domain. Despite that, if anyone feels that people from other countries are staying in Bihar then it is a matter of central government and centre should look after it.,” said Anjum Ara, spokesperson for the JD (U).
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) too slammed BJP for raising the issue, calling it a political stunt.
“Whenever election comes, the BJP starts raising such issues. Border issue comes under the home department of the Centre, so they should look into it. BJP is trying to grab the political benefit from the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration. They did the same in Jharkhand but got nothing. Same results would be visible in Bihar. BJP will never talk about employment and development rather they want to divide and rule by raising Hindu-Muslims issue,” RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav said.
Published – December 09, 2024 08:22 am IST
