JMM, BJP engage in war of words ahead of LS elections
RANCHI: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in a war of words on Saturday after the latter criticised the state government and called the ruling party ‘Jamin Maro Morcha’, an apparent jibe at former chief minister Hemant Soren, who is currently in jail in connection with an alleged land scam case.
BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok said his party will not allow Jharkhand “to get ruined”. He also shared the slogan, which the party will use during the forthcoming parliamentary election in Jharkhand: “Hamane banaaya hai, ham hee gadhenge, barbaad hone nahin denge (We have created it, we will build it and will not let it get ruined),” Alok said.
Alok, who has been deputed for media interaction in Jharkhand and Bihar in the wake of the parliamentary elections, also termed the JMM “Jamin Maro Morcha”, saying that the JMM-led INDIA bloc government in Jharkhand is “indulged in grabbing tribal land”.
“They call it Jharkhand Mukti Morcha but its actual meaning is Jamin Maro Morcha. The head of the Jamin Maro Morcha (Hemant Soren) is in jail and thinks that he will get sympathy. But, the country never gives any sympathy to those who are involved in corruption,” he said.
Alok further said, “What was the fault of people of Jharkhand. They chose a tribal chief minister considering that he would protect the interest of tribal people. But, he started grabbing the land of tribals.”
Alleging the INDIA Block of being involved in corrupt practices, Alok said that Jharkhand, which could have come into existence in 1990, could not come into existence for a long time as “Lalu (Prasad Yadav) did not allow it to happen.
“Lalu had said, ‘Jharkhand will be created on my dead body.’” Alok said.
He said JMM leaders accepted bribes in their savings bank account and never allowed a tribal to grow, unlike BJP, which allowed a tribal to become president of India after giving the same position to a scheduled caste.
He said that more than ₹350 crore cash is recovered from locations of a Rajya Sabha member of the state where tribals hardly have ₹10,000 cash in their hands.
“The BJP will win all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand and under the leadership of state unit chief Babulal Marandi, the party would form the government again after the assembly polls later this year,” he told reporters.
However, JMM countered Alok, saying he should not stay in Jharkhand as the latter had no idea of the ground reality.
“How come Alok came to know that there is a threat perception of Pintu, who remained with party workers throughout the day today?” JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, organising a press conference at the party office.
“Is Alok the son-in-law of ED (Directorate of Enforcement) that he got such information?” Bhattacharya asked.
He said the BJP has no moral right to talk about corruption, saying, “BJP’s Bangaru Lakshman remained in jail for four years for accepting bribes in a defence deal.”
Regarding BJP’s slogan, Bhattacharya stated that the BJP had been given 17 years to rule and improve conditions in Jharkhand, but they failed to do so. Therefore, the ruling alliance and the people won’t allow them to form the government in the state again.
On tribals not even having ₹10,000 cash in hand, Bhattacharya said, “The BJP spokesperson should not belittle tribals by giving such a statement. We should not forget, Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited(HECL) and Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) came into existence due to Kartik Oraon, who was a tribal leader and studied in Germany.”
Meanwhile, Bhattacharya dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on electoral bonds.
“Prime Minister also talks about corruption but they are silent on electoral bonds. Currently, all corrupt leaders are with BJP,” Bhattacharya said.
Meanwhile, criticising Saturday’s attack on NIA officials in West Bengal, Alok urged the Calcutta high court to intervene, highlighting what he described as a collapse of law and order in the state.
A vehicle carrying NIA officials attacked by villagers in Purba Medinipur district’s Bhupatinagar when they went there to investigate a 2022 bomb blast case.