Voters of Jharkhand, especially the tribals and Dalits have not only rejected their citizenship policy, they have in fact shown their contempt and precluded their psyche and approach towards their problems. The voting patterns and seats won by the JMM-Congress combine and BJP makes it candid that the adivasis and Dalits have completely disowned the BJP.

The BJP academics and intellectuals busy analysing the election result argue that JMM-Congress forging the coalition was responsible for the BJP defeat. There is no denying this fact. But it is also a fact that in the areas dominated by the tribals and Dalits the BJP lost miserably simply for the reason that the tribals and dalit dismissed the BJP

Yet another factor that went against the BJP was it becoming the voice of the dikus, the outsiders. The tribals have always opposed the dikus, non –tribals, and this took a turn for bad during the rule of Modi-Shah. The manner in which these two leaders promoted the cause and interest of big business, particularly Adanis, has turned theadivasis and Dalits anti-BJP. Raghubar Das played the most nasty role in the entire scenario. He twisted and distorted the tribal land laws for extorting tribal lands and providing them to the chums of Modi and Shah.

The BJP Government of Raghuvar Das in Jharkhand has been on the mission to grab tribal land and forests of the State to hand over to the corporate sector. Ever since he became Chief Minister, he has been busy evolving the strategy to help the big business houses. It is worth recalling that Das was installed as the Chief Minister overruling the claims of the tribal leaders who nurse the welfare of the community people. The alacrity shown by him in amending the CNT-SPT Act, implementation of the faulty domicile policy, and using the excuse of “wrong land records” to snatch away raiyot land given to the poor under ‘bandobasti’ (settlement of village revenue records) and registered in Register 2 are testimony to his dubious intentions.

During the last four years the state has been witness to many popular movements .Earlier the government directly grabbed land to hand over to the corporates. But in recent times faced with the political consequences of people’s resentment against land grab, BJP government was seeking to take a back seat and allow corporations to acquire land directly. The Das Government proposed changes in two land acts—Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and Santhal Paragana Tenancy (SPT) Act. Both Acts—the CNT of 1908 and the SPT of 1949—are meant to protect the land rights of the tribal people and local residents.

“There was a lot of anger among the state’s tribals against the CM, on account of the government’s unsuccessful attempts to amend the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act, which restrict the sale of tribal land to non-tribals,” a third leader said.

Raghubar Das has been playing with the sentiments of the Advasis and Moolvasi. True enough opposition has forged coalition long before for fighting Das’s machination to grab Adivasi land. Pathalgadi movement was another issue that hurt the BJP in Jharkhand. This was an expression that demanded that the rights of tribals must be recognised by the government of the day. The BJP was seen acting against the tribal sentiment.

The anti-conversion bill was another troubling aspect. The tribal Christians, who had voted for the BJP-AJSU alliance in 2014 saw the anti-conversion bill as a move to target them. Attacks on Muslims and Dalits by vigilante groups also played a role in changing the narrative against the BJP, whose government was seen not doing enough to ensure safety and security of the vulnerable groups. In past five years, such images have come in plenty from Jharkhand.

Incidents of Lynching, highest in India, have shaken the confidence of the people in government and government. These incidents had alienated the people. Though they could not openly protest against these brutal killings, they revenged at the first instance. The people under the banner of “Adivasi Moolvasi Astitava Raksha Manch” launched on agitation against industrialization in the region. They made it known publically that “they need grains not iron for feeding their stomach”. The corporate house intended to confuse and win over the trust of the tribal people by playing up the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

A senior economist observed at a time when the government was unable to handle the land issue and solve the agrarian question, there was no justification for distorting and ruining the tribal land system. he Das Government in its quest to benefit the business houses have been making all efforts to destroy and shatter their economy

True enough the brutal use of muscle power by the top BJP leaders has turned the people scared. They were unable to open their mouth. A number of innocent people were killed by the saffron goons, but Das did not take any action.

The grand-alliance comprising the JMM, the Congress and the RJD will form the next government in Jharkhand. But the challenges before them are arduous. The new government will have to respect and identify itself with the aspirations of the tribals and dalit.

This defeat is a warning to especially Modi-Shah combination; arrogance does not pay. You can terrorise but cannot subjugate for ever. The BJP has lost another state. Divorcing the AJSU was the clear indication of adivasis and dalit, primarily poor have no relevance for Modi and Shah. (IPA Service)