Jharkhand: ED raids to help BJP set ‘Bangladeshi infiltration’ narrative, says JMM

The ruling JMM slammed the BJP-led Centre for ED raids at multiple locations in Jharkhand on 12 November, Tuesday, a day before the first phase of the state polls, alleging that the central agency's action was an attempt to "help the saffron camp establish its Bangladeshi infiltration narrative".

During the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided multiple locations in poll-bound Jharkhand as well as in West Bengal, in a money-laundering investigation linked to alleged infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals, official sources said.

"The ED action, just a day before polling in Jharkhand, is nothing but an attempt to set a wrong narrative and mislead people. It is an attempt to help the saffron camp establish its 'Bangladeshi infiltration' narrative in the elections. The BJP will not be successful in its mission and will get a befitting reply in the elections," Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spokesperson Manoj Pandey told PTI.

Out of 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand, 43 will go to the polls in the first phase on Wednesday, 13 November.

The Jharkhand Congress, an ally of the JMM-led government, alleged that the ED action was the "last attempt to save BJP's political ground in the state".

"This ED raids are not for Bangladeshi infiltrators but a last attempt to save BJP's political ground in the state," Congress spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said.

The people of the state understood "these tactics and would give a befitting reply to the BJP", he claimed.

The Congress leader noted that Jharkhand does not share a border with Bangladesh.

"BJP-ruled Assam shares its border with Bangladesh. So I think they should first conduct a raid in Assam instead of Jharkhand," the Congress spokesperson said.

He alleged that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was sent to Jharkhand by the BJP to "polarise votes", but added that the "saffron camp would not be successful".

Sarma, as co-in charge for the BJP for the Jharkhand polls, has been campaigning for saffron camp candidates.