Ranchi, Nov 21 (IANS) The third working day of Jharkhand Assembly’s winter session was also a wash out due to disruptions over the BJP government’s move to amend two land acts formulated to protect the land rights of the tribals and indigenous people of the state.
Notwithstanding the disruptions, the second Supplementary Budget of Rs 3010.86 crore was passed without any discussions in the Assembly today. The Supplementary Budget was tabled on Friday last. But no discussions could be held in the Assembly on that day.
The opposition parties are protesting against the proposed amendments in the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act, which, they say, have been brought to acquire tribals’ land for industrial use.
The Chief Minister Raghubar Das-led government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to table the amendments now on Wednesday.
Members of opposition parties displayed banners, raised slogans and entered the well soon after the session began at 11 a.m. Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon adjourned the House till noon. He called a meeting of the Opposition leaders in his chamber and tried to end the stand-off, but all his efforts went in vain.
When the House assembled again, the opposition members again entered the well and started raising slogans, demanding immediate rollback of the proposed amendments.
The Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm following demonstrations and protests by the Opposition members. The CM had iterated Sunday last in Dhanbad that the Bills related to the proposed amendments in the CNT and SPT laws will be passed in the Winter Session itself.
The Das government sought to amend the two land acts through an ordinance in June which was sent to the President by Governor Draupadi Murmu for his assent.
As the ordinance is pending with the President since then, the government has decided to bring it in the form of a bill during the winter session that began on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha leader and former CM Babulal Marandi has announced that the Opposition parties will gherao the Assembly on 23rd November on the land laws amendment issue.
He said the JVM and other parties will be taking to the streets to oppose the amendments.