“Save Santhal Pargana from Jamai Tola” is the BJP's new rallying cry in Jharkhand, unsettling JMM leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is seeking to renew his public mandate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jamshedpur yesterday hinted at the BJP’s broader strategy. Although he did not explicitly mention ‘Jamai Tola,’ Modi fiercely criticised the JMM and Congress for allegedly ignoring the increasing infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas into Jharkhand, which he claims poses a serious threat.
Traditionally, son-in-laws have played prominent roles in Indian politics and cinema, but never quite like they are now. In poll-bound Jharkhand, the BJP is portraying them as outlaws and infiltrators, arguing that they threaten the tribal culture and identity of the state.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘Jamai Tolas’ (colonies of sons-in-law), you’ve missed a significant issue: systematic land grabbing and demographic changes that have quietly occurred over decades in the tribal-dominated districts of Santhal Pargana.
The BJP is now using Jamai Tola as ammunition to target the JMM and its leader, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. ‘Save Santhal Pargana from Jamai Tola’ has become a key political slogan, creating discomfort for Soren. Although the concerns aren't widely voiced, whispers about this issue are circulating within the tribal community.
Santhal Pargana, home to 18 assembly seats, is a JMM stronghold. The BJP aims to gain ground here by raising concerns over infiltration and the declining tribal population.
What particularly troubles the JMM is the BJP’s repeated rants that the JMM pampers infiltrators at the expense of tribals.
Kamal Bhagat, a senior BJP leader who has been campaigning against infiltration since 1983, stated, “These Jamai Tolas are Muslim settlements, primarily inhabited by Bangladeshi infiltrators. They enter from Bangladesh via West Bengal, initially working as labourers. Later, they marry tribal women and illegally occupy both tribal and government land. This is why these areas are called Jamai Tolas. Their alarming proliferation is changing the demographics of the Santhal Pargana districts, and there are numerous such Jamai Tolas.”
In Santhal Pargana, the land predominantly belongs to two tribal groups: the Paharias (classified as particularly vulnerable tribes) and the Santhals. It is often said that the hills belong to the Paharias and the plains to the Santhals.
The BJP claims that four of the six districts in the Santhal Pargana division—Pakur, Sahibganj, Godda, and Dumka—are the most affected by infiltration and illegal settlements. These districts border West Bengal, which facilitates infiltration.
For the Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD alliance, it is difficult to entirely dismiss these allegations as baseless or merely a part of the BJP’s communal agenda.
An affidavit filed by the Central Government in the Jharkhand High Court revealed a 16% decline in the tribal population of Santhal Pargana.
Simultaneously, there has been a significant increase in the Muslim population (20-40%) and a staggering 6000-fold rise in the Christian population across the six districts.
The Centre attributes these demographic changes to Bangladeshi infiltration, particularly through Sahibganj and Pakur, aided by linguistic similarities that ease integration.
Additionally, the Centre highlighted the misuse of tribal land laws, particularly the Danpatra (gift deeds), which are being exploited to acquire land illegally. Santhal Pargana is governed by the strict Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, which prohibits the sale, purchase, and transfer of tribal land.
In 1951, Santhal Pargana's population was 90.37% Hindu, 9.43% Muslim, and 0.18% Christian, with tribals comprising 44.67%. By 2011, the Hindu population had dropped to 67.95%, while Muslims accounted for 22.73% and Christians 4.21%, with the tribal population declining to 28.11%. The Central Government is still investigating the infiltration issue and plans to file a detailed affidavit.
“Can CM Hemant Soren deny that the tribal population has not declined in Santhal Pargana? We are ready to take him to Jamai Tolas if he doesn’t believe us. It is a travesty that, on one hand, the JMM claims to represent the tribals, yet on the other, they deny the infiltration,” said state BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha.
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