BJP slams Shilpi Neha Tirkey for comparing 'Biharis' to Bangladeshi intruders

Politics has intensified over a controversial statement made by Jharkhand Congress MLA Shilpi Neha Tirkey, in which she allegedly compared migrant workers from Bihar to undocumented Bangladeshi nationals. Tirkey suggested that Biharis were responsible for the demographic changes in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been vocal about the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration in Jharkhand, a state where demographic change is a contentious topic. Last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a rally in Ranchi and claimed that if the BJP comes to power, it will issue a white paper on the state's demographic situation.

On Saturday, while responding to BJP leaders' allegations regarding demographic changes in the Santhal region, Tirkey indirectly compared Biharis to Bangladeshis. “Those who talk about demographic change in Santhal should start it from Ranchi. In the state capital, the tribals who are natives of the state have been kept under the carpet like dust. The tribals are kept in some corner. What is the situation of Ramgarh today, who becomes the mukhiya (panchayat head). A Bihari who comes from Bihar becomes mukhiya in Ramgarh. Demographic change has taken place in the entire state and the discussion should start from Ranchi; we will talk about Santhal later,” Tirkey said.

BJP leaders from Bihar and Jharkhand have strongly criticized Tirkey's statement. Newly appointed Bihar BJP State President Dilip Jaiswal called her an immature politician. “Going by her statement, it seems that she is an immature politician. If a politician does not know the difference between foreign infiltration and people of our own country, then it is not right for me to say much about her. The people of our country have the right to stay and do business anywhere in the country. Why so much hatred towards Biharis? As far as the relation between Bihar and Jharkhand is concerned, it is a roti-beti [kin and kitchen] relation,” Jaiswal said on Sunday.