New Delhi, Aug. 2: Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Hemant Soren today alleged the state government's "ploy" to dilute tribal land rights would set Jharkhand ablaze.

" Jal, jangal, zameen (water, forests and land) is the basis of our politics and there is a traditional mobilisation on these issues, pioneered by Sidho and Kanhu Murmu and Birsa Munda. As inheritors of their legacy, it is our duty to defend these laws which were enacted after bloody struggles," Hemant said, referring to the Raghubar Das government's ordinance to amend the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act of 1908 and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act of 1949, both of which seek to curb transfer of land inhabited by tribals in scheduled areas of the state.

"To put it simply, if this illegitimate ordinance is implemented, it will lead to bloodshed and the ensuing law and order problem will be beyond any government's control," Hemant told The Telegraph before leaving to meet President Pranab Mukherjee with his father, MP Shibu Soren and other JMM MPs and MLAs.

The changes the ordinance would bring include a provision for tribal land to be acquired for infrastructure projects under CNT Act and for change in land use in SPT Act. The government has claimed that thse would help tribal landholders pledge their property and for loans.

But, Hemant claimed the ordinance has been brought to bypass the legislature in order to sell off whatever tribal lands are left. "We fought it in the Assembly, we will fight it in the streets. Whoever feels this ordinance is wrong will join us," he said.