In an affidavit submitted to a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai, the Centre stated that Bangladeshis had unlawfully entered Jharkhand via the Sahebgunj and Pakur districts.
Ranchi, Jharkhand: The Central Government informed the Jharkhand High Court on Thursday(12th Sept) that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are residing in the state.
In an affidavit submitted to a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai, the Centre stated that Bangladeshis had unlawfully entered Jharkhand via the Sahebgunj and Pakur districts.
The affidavit highlighted a significant rise in the number of madrasas in these districts over recent years, pointing out that the infiltrators share a common local dialect, which has facilitated their illegal entry into the state.
It also mentioned the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. The porous nature of the 4096.7-kilometer-long India-Bangladesh border makes such infiltration easier, according to Rawat’s affidavit.
READ ALSO: “Identify illegal Bangladeshi immigrants”: Jharkhand HC Directs Hemant Soren Government
The court was hearing two PILs, one on the conversion of tribals in the Santhal Parganas filed by Soma Oraon and another on illegal Bangladeshi immigration by Daniel Danish.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 17.
Additionally, the affidavit addressed the transfer of tribal land to Muslims via ‘daanpatra’ (gift deeds). Oraon’s petition claims that tribals in the Santhal Parganas are being systematically converted to other religions.
Danish argued that illegal immigrants have been acquiring land using forged documents to falsely claim residency in the state.
The affidavit further noted a decline in the tribal population, attributing it to both the high rate of conversions and a low birth rate among tribals. Outward migration of tribals from the Santhal Parganas was also cited as a contributing factor to the reduction of the indigenous population.
Earlier, the Jharkhand High Court issued a directive to the state government to identify illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who have settled in six districts of the state.
The division bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai, was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Danish Daniel, which raised concerns about the illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals.
The court instructed the Hemant Soren-led government–
“Meticulously verify land records and domicile credentials before issuing identity documents such as Aadhar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards to individuals.”
The bench emphasized
“There is an urgent need for stringent checks to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining these essential documents.”
During the hearing, Danish Daniel highlighted the significant impact of illegal infiltration on the demography of six districts—Deoghar, Dumka, Sahibganj, Pakur, Godda, and Jamtara. He pointed out that the influx of illegal immigrants has led to a notable decline in the tribal population in these regions.
