‘Difficult to say we are in Amritkaal or Apatkaal’: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
In his reply to the House on the last of the day of the budget session of the Jharkhand assembly, CM Soren hit out at the BJP and the Centre over a host of issues, including Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, centre-state relationship, misuse of agencies and inflation, besides his government’s stand over the contentious domicile and employment policy of the state
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of targetting non-BJP governments and suppressing the dissenting voice through “misuse” of institutions.
In his reply to the House on the last of the day of the budget session of the Jharkhand assembly, CM Soren hit out at the BJP and the Centre over a host of issues, including Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, centre-state relationship, misuse of agencies and inflation, besides his government’s stand over the contentious domicile and employment policy of the state.
“It is difficult to comprehend whether we are in Amritkaal (75 years of independence as being observed by the Centre) or Apatkaal (state of emergency). The country is passing through a strange period,” he said.
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“They have put this country in the hands of a select few. When someone raises a question about it, they misuse the institutions to silence all dissenting voices. When I asked for the 1.3 lakh crore outstanding dues with the Centre and they unleased CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), and ED (Enforcement Directorate) against us,” the chief minister added.
Soren said that hundreds of first information reports (FIR) were registered (in Delhi) and several persons were arrested for putting up posters of PM Modi.
“How can that be explained?” he asked, adding, “Hundreds of posters have been put up against us with bold pictures of the PM, home minister and other senior BJP leaders. What should I do with them? Never have we seen such a brazen period in the country since independence.”
Delhi police on Wednesday said that they registered over 138 FIRs while arrested six people in connection with putting objectionable posters across the national capital. According to the police, of the total FIRs registered, 36 are related to the objectionable posters against PM Modi.
Further speaking about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, Soren described the court verdict on Gandhi as “unjustified.”
“We can have differences in principle opinion, but it does not mean we would go after each other’s life. Our country is called the ‘Mother of Democracy’, but it seems the ‘Father of Power’ is trampling it. Today if you speak against them, you would land in jail. But for how long can they do that?” Soren said.
Soon after the news of Gandhi’s conviction by a Gujarat court, Congress legislators began protesting in the assembly, with Congress accusing the Centre of acting like a “dictator.”
Congress lawmakers trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans like ‘BJP ki Hitlarsahi Nahi Chalegi’ (BJP’s Hitler-like rule will not work).
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BJP MLAs, meanwhile, raised their voices against the Congress leaders and stormed into the well.
The ruling-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislators too protested and extended support to the Congress and as request to the MLAs to return to their seats went unheeded, Speaker Rabindranath Mahto adjourned the House. Amidst the din, Speaker rushed through important agendas, including passing a Bill.
With both sides refusing to budge, Speaker requested CM Soren to give his reply well beyond the scheduled time. The BJP legislators continued their protest even as CM began speaking. In his reply, CM Soren accused the central government of changing its stand on employment policy and later walked out.
A court in Surat on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remarks.
The court held him guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.