Jharkhand CM announces job, compensation for Agniveer martyrs

BJP MLAs demand suspension of speaker

Ranchi, August 2: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced in the Jharkhand Assembly on Friday that the state will provide jobs and compensation to the nearest kin of Agniveer martyrs.

“If an Agniveer gets martyred, then, besides ex-gratia payment, the state government will also provide a job to their nearest kin,” said Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

On the last day of the Monsoon Session of the Assembly, Soren lambasted the BJP, alleging that it was creating hindrances in the state’s development. “We have given non-government jobs to more than one lakh people and distributed appointment letters with our own hands. We made local and employment policies, but these tyrants ruined them as well,” said Soren.

He further accused the BJP of working to stop the Jharkhand goverment’s policies through the courts. “If we make laws for the tribals and natives of Jharkhand here, it becomes illegal, but if they make similar laws in other states, it becomes constitutional,” he added.

The Chief Minister also informed that, out of all the appointments made in Jharkhand, 83 percent have been given to local native tribals.

Hemant Soren accused the BJP MLAs of disturbing the assembly. “They do not have any agenda. These people have turned an important session into a ruckus,” he said.

Ignoring the sloganeering of the MLAs, Soren said, “I have solid proof against these people on what they did in five years. I have everything; how many buildings did they build; how much did they steal, we have everything, these people have done robbery. There has been murder for land; these people are land looters and they get me jailed on the charge of land looting.”

Taking a dig at Assam CM Himant Biswa Sarma, Soren said, “They have a chief minister whose state is submerged in flood. Instead of going there, he is doing politics here. They are dividing Jharkhand, dividing the society. Don’t worry, you will be wiped out not only in Jharkhand but also in Assam,” he maintained.

The suspended BJP MLAs today set up a stall in the Assembly premises selling sand to raise the issue of corruption in sand-lifting and scarcity of essential building materials.

The Jharkhand assembly on Friday passed four bills including a  bill  to impose cess on mined minerals to boost the state’s revenue. This move follows the Supreme Court‘s July 25 ruling, which affirmed that the legislative power to tax mineral rights rests with the states.

 In a resolution notice to Secretary, Jharkhand Assembly,BJP MLAs have demanded suspension of the Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Ravindranath Mahto.

This is in response to order of suspension of 18 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs for indulging in “hooliganism” in the Jharkhand Assembly issued by Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto on August 1.

They were suspended till 2 p.m, Tuesday, August 2, the last day of the monsoon session of the Assembly. However, before the Assembly was adjourned sine die the 18 suspended BJP MLAs held a meeting and resolved to submit notice to the Secretary of the Assembly, seeking suspension of the Speaker Rabindranath Mahto.

BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri alleged that the Speaker Rabindranath Mahato has acted as “ agent” of the CM Hemant Soren rather than as Speaker of the Assembly.