Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024: Uniform Civil Code won't be allowed in state, says CM Hemant Soren

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Shortly after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Sunday that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would be implemented in Jharkhand, Chief Minister (CM) Hemant Soren hit back saying that neither UCC nor the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would be allowed in the state. According to news agency PTI, Soren emphasised that Jharkhand would adhere only to the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Acts to safeguard tribal culture, land, and rights.

"Neither the UCC nor the NRC will be implemented here. Jharkhand will rely solely on the Chotanagpur Tenancy and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts. These people (the BJP) are spewing venom and do not care about tribals, natives, Dalits, or backward communities," Soren stated at a rally in Garhwa.

According to PTI, Soren's remarks came in response to Shah's comments, made while releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto for the Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024, in which the Home Minister asserted, "Our government will introduce UCC in Jharkhand, but tribals will be kept out of its ambit. Hemant Soren and the JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) government are making false propaganda that UCC will impact tribal rights, culture, and relevant legislation, which is totally baseless." Shah maintained that while UCC would be implemented, measures would be taken to protect tribal rights.

Soren also launched a scathing attack of Shah's claim that the JMM-led coalition was fueling Naxalism, and said that the Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024 being held in two phases was testimony that Naxalism had been curbed, unlike in the past when polls were conducted in five phases. He also likened BJP to a "drying tree" and vowed to uproot it, alleging that the party aimed to displace local residents for mineral wealth. Soren further accused BJP of undermining his government, highlighting that the Centre had yet to clear Rs 1.36 lakh crore in coal dues owed to the state by coal companies.

Questioning the Centre's approach to Bangladeshi infiltration, Soren asked why former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh was allowed to enter India while the government expressed security concerns. "What internal agreements permit this? The responsibility for border security lies with the Government of India," he asserted.

According to PTI, Soren defended his government's welfare initiatives, particularly the Mainya Samman Yojana, which he claimed is designed to support all the communities, regardless of religion. "In the coming five years, we will work to send Rs 1 lakh to every woman," he promised.

Jharkhand polls on November 13, 20

He alleged that the Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024 was called prematurely owing to the BJP's fear. "These people did not let our tenure complete; one month was left. They announced the elections a month earlier," said CM Soren.

Elections for the 81-member assembly will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, with votes to be counted on November 23.

(With PTI inputs)