Jharkhand assembly: Barbs like Bangladeshi, Talibani, fly over Ramnavami ‘curbs’
The issue was raised during the question hour by Hazaribag legislator Manish Jaiswal, who alleged that the Hazaribag district administration is acting against innocents, besides putting a complete ban on operating DJ during Ramnavami procession on instructions from the state government due to “appeasement” politics.
A BJP legislator tearing his kurta before the Speaker in well of the house, Congress legislator Irfan Ansari being called Bangladeshi and Talibani, competing claims of being a bigger “Ram Bhakt” — the Jharkhand assembly witnessed high drama on Tuesday as the JMM-led ruling alliance and opposition BJP legislators clashed over the “restrictions” imposed by the administration during the upcoming Ramnavami.
The issue was raised during the question hour by Hazaribag legislator Manish Jaiswal, who alleged that the Hazaribag district administration is acting against innocents, besides putting a complete ban on operating DJ (large music systems) during Ramnavami procession on instructions from the state government due to “appeasement” politics.
Soon, BJP legislators trooped into the well, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House. When the House resumed, BJP legislators continued with their protest, shouting slogans.
Post lunch, Jaiswal initiated discussion on budgetary grants during which he focussed primarily on the issue, with intermittent interruptions from the treasury bench, leading to a din in the House.
“Have the Hindus committed any crime that such a Talibani order has been issued on not playing DJ. The district administration is forcing DJ operators to give a written undertaking that they won’t provide their service. Notice has been served to 5,000 people in Hazaribag who organise Ramnavami procession, which is acclaimed nationally. The government needs to withdraw its decision,” said Jaiswal.
He was interrupted by Congress legislators Dipika Pandey Singh, Irfan Ansari and water and sanitation minister Mithilesh Thakur, who accused the BJP of stoking religious feelings in the name of Ramnavami.
After Jaiswal described Ansari as Bangladeshi and Talibani, Congress legislators Singh, Ansari and Uma Shankar Akela entered the well in protest.
Minister Mithlesh Thakur said they were the real Ram Bhakts and BJP uses religion just to polarise and divide the society. “The restrictions have been imposed as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court on curbing sound pollution, both in terms of permissible decibel limits and timings,” he said.
“...as we speak, our chief minister (Hemant Soren) is laying foundation for redevelopment of the Tapovan Mandir where all processions converge on the occasion of Ramnavami in Ranchi,” Thakur added.
Former minister and BJP legislator Amar Bauri, however, countered the minister.
“Does the government measure decibel levels during other festivals? Loudspeakers are used for prayers in mosques five times a day. Does the government measure its decibel? And if the CM laying foundation stone at a temple, he is doing that to clean his conscience,” said Bauri.