File photo

NEW DELHI: Expressing shock over the abduction and brutal killing of seven tribals in Jharkhand 's West Singhbhum district in January, Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said that he had never witnessed an incident "more gruesome" in his life.

Shah, during his address on the occasion of the JVM(P)'s merger with the BJP , also warned that his party would "put up a fight, which would extend from streets to Parliament", if there was a threat to law and order in Jharkhand.

He, however, gave assurances that the saffron party would stand by the JMM-led government in the state, as a responsible opposition, if welfare schemes by the Centre were successfully implemented.

"A new government has been formed (in Jharkhand). The erstwhile Raghubar Das government had taken forward the welfare schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of tribals, OBC and the poor. And, if it ( Hemant Soren government) does the same, then the BJP would act as a responsible opposition," Shah said.

Noting that the BJP would strive to root out social ills, he said, "Seven tribal brothers were recently killed in West Singhbhum district. The BJP workers who visited the area gave me a report. I have never seen such gruesome and merciless murder (in life)."

Supporters of the 'Pathalgadhi' movement, an agitation seeking self-rule of gram sabhas, allegedly kidnapped seven villagers and killed and decapitated them in West Singhbhum for opposing their decades-old campaign.

At least 16 people were arrested in connection with the January 21 incident, which sparked outrage across the state, with newly sworn-in chief minister Hemant Soren ordering an investigation by a special investigation team.

"The victims were tortured to death before their families, with their heads severed, but no action has been taken. If (such) law-and-order situation persists in the state, the BJP will fight from 'sadak to Vidhan Sabha to Sansad' (from streets to Assembly to Parliament)," Shah said.

The BJP MPs, on the occasion, handed a memorandum to the Union home minister on the dais, urging him for an NIA probe into the incident.

"We will support development (initiatives), but will put up a strong fight against any attempt that encourages corruption, Naxalism and terrorism," Shah asserted.

While Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had worked for the creation of Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took measures to take the state forward on the path of development, the Union home minister reiterated.

"We can't see Jharkhand going downhill.... BJP workers will have to work for the welfare of the state," he said.

Recounting that the Modi government had "resolved the sensitive and long-pending" issues of Ram Janmabhoomi in Uttar Pradesh, abrogation of Article 370, Shah said these were "matters that nobody dared touch over the past 70 years".

Shah said a sky-high Ram temple would be built in Ayodhya soon.

"Kashmir has now become an integral part of the country, and it will continue to be so forever," Shah said, adding that problems involving Bodoland and Bru refugees in the northeast have also been solved by the BJP government at the Centre.

Contending that the BJP respected the mandate of the people in Jharkhand, Shah said his party would work harder for the welfare of people in the coming days.

The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance in the state defeated the saffron party in last year's Assembly polls, bagging 47 seats in the 81-member House.

