Jharkhand Governor attacks CM Hemant Soren on mining lease case

Ranchi: Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Sunday attacked Chief Minister Hemant Sorenmaking an oblique reference to the mining lease case. He said everyone has to face the consequences of their actions.

Radhakrishnan stressed the need for strict action against organised crime and Naxalism in the state. He also expressed strong displeasure over criminal gangs operating from prisons and killing of security personnel by Naxalites. He termed criminal activities from jails and killing of security personnel by Naxalites as ‘disturbing’.
On the illegal mining case involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Governor said that the issue is serious. Nothing can be said in haste on this. He further said that one should be ready to face the consequences for their actions.

Refuting allegations of biased role by the Speaker, Radhakrishnan also clarified that he is not against any reservation. He said, “As the guardian of the Constitution, I am against the Supreme Court’s approval of the bill proposing 77 per cent reservation in jobs to SC/ST, OBC and economically weaker sections in Jharkhand, with a 50 per cent cap on the quota. I cannot violate guidelines.”
He said, “The state of law and order cannot be studied only through statistics. We have to take strict action against the criminals. Some are working from jail and some are working from abroad. The government needs to speak on this. We will request the government to speak on this issue.’

Radhakrishnan also said, “I have been repeatedly asking the government to take strict action against the Naxalites. If you want I will get all the information from Central Intelligence so that we can crush this red terrorism in Jharkhand. We have already lost three personnel since I took over. It is very painful and worrying.”

The Governor said that he had spoken to the Chief Minister about the killing of security personnel by the insurgents. He said, ‘The Chief Minister has made it very clear that he has given complete freedom to the police force to take any action. I have called my chief secretary, especially for Naxal activities. All Naxalites are moving towards West Singhbhum district from everywhere.’

He said that about 22 out of 24 districts are Naxal free. Their attacks are meaningless. They are no longer fighting for bread. No one has died of hunger in this country. However, the question arises as to why they are fighting. Radhakrishnan said he was worried because Naxalites were coming out of their hideouts and demanding ransom. He said that a shopkeeper was also shot dead in Ranchi. Such behavior instills fear in others.

Radhakrishnan, who was sworn in as the 11th Governor, said in connection with the illegal mining case against the Chief Minister that the Election Commission on August 25, 2022, followed the BJP’s plea seeking disqualification of Soren from the assembly for holding office of profit. had sent his decision to the then Governor of the state, Ramesh Bais.

He said, ‘The mandate of the Election Commission was received by my predecessor Bais in a sealed envelope. I haven’t seen it yet. I will look into it in due course. Such issues cannot be discussed in haste. He said that first it has to be read properly and well and the advice of constitutional experts has to be taken. He does not want to take any action that could be questioned. He does not want to set a bad example.

It is worth mentioning that former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das had accused Soren of allotting a mining lease to a company organized by him in May 2021 for a stone quarry spread over 0.88 acres in Angara block of Ranchi. Soren said that the mining lease was given to him earlier and he reapplied for it when it expired.