RANCHI: In its counter affidavit filed in the Jharkhand High Court in connection with a PIL seeking probe on Bangladeshi intrusion and changing demography of Santhal Pargana, the Central Government has revealed that the tribal population in the region has decreased by 16 per cent. The Centre also informed the High Court that the Muslim population has increased by 20 to 40 per cent in six different districts of Santhal Pargana while the number of Christians in these areas has increased by 6000 times. Deputy Commissioners of the six Santhal Pargana districts – Pakur, Sahibganj, Dumka, Godda, Deoghhar and Jamtara, in their affidavits filed earlier in the case had declared that no Bangladeshi intrusion has taken place in their districts. Expressing surprise over their denial of infiltration in the region, the court had warned the concerned DCs that if even a single infiltration is found in their districts, a contempt case will be initiated against them. According to the Central Government, the infiltration is assessed to have taken place through Sahibganj and Pakur districts, which are contiguous to West Bengal. The infiltrators preferred these areas because of common dialect which helped their integration, it said. “The share of population of scheduled tribes in Santhal Pargana in the year 1951 was 44.67% which became 28.11% in 2011. However, quantum of decrease in tribal population due to outward migration, low child birth rate among tribal conversion to Christianity and other reasons need to be assessed,” stated the counter affidavit filed in Jharkhand High Court.It has been reported that there has been increase in number of Madrassas in this region during past few years, it added.The Centre also informed that instances related to misuse of loopholes in existing land laws like the transfer of tribal land to non- tribal through affidavit of ‘Danpatra’ (Gift Deeds), by Muslims to acquire land in the region have also been reported. In one such instance which took place recently in Pakur on July 18, 2024, an altercation took place between the tribals and Muslims, when a Muslim family took over a piece of land on the basis of ‘Danpatra’, it said. According to Centre, the total population of Santhal Pargana in the 1951 census was 23,22,092, of which Hindus were 90.37 per cent, Muslims 9.43 per cent, and Christians 0.18 per cent.“In the 2011 census, the total population of Santhal Pargana was 69, 69, 097 of which Hindus were 67.95 per cent, Muslims 22.73 per cent, and Christians 4.21 per cent. Of the total population in 2011, the tribal population was 28.11 per cent,” it added. During the last hearing, a reply was also sought from UIDAI, which also filed an affidavit saying that it can identify the misuse of Aadhaar number and can prevent it.“Aadhaar can definitely be a unique identity but it cannot be the basis of citizenship,” stated the counter affidavit filed by UIDAI. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta was present on behalf of the Central Government during the hearing on Thursday. Terming the situation of infiltration of Bangladeshis in Santhal Pargana as alarming, the Centre had informed Jharkhand High Court on September 5 that diminishing population of tribals in Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand is a serious matter and the central government agencies are still studying the matter following which a comprehensive affidavit will be filed after consultation with all its stakeholders in this regard.
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