Jharkhand: Hemant Soren-Babulal Marandi face-off over outstanding coal royalties

Ranchi, December 18: BJP state president Babulal Marandi and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren have come face to face over Jharkhand’s outstanding coal royalties dues.

On Tuesday night, BJP state president Babulal Marandi on his social media handle X called the demand of Rs 1 lakh 36 thousand crore dues of JMM to the central government baseless and misleading.

The social media was also tagged Chief Minister Hemant Soren and advised him to focus on the real problems of the state instead of blaming Centre. After this, CM Hemant, while answering his questions, called this demand the rightful money of Jharkhandis. He also made it clear that we will get our rights.

Hemant Soren wrote on his official social media handle X that the demand of us Jharkhand is is not baseless Babulal ji.

“This is the money of our right and hard work.”

He further wrote that this protest over the interests of Jharkhand is really very sad.

“When you had to stand with us by using the strength of your organization, then you stood in opposition,” Hemant Soren posted.

Hemant Soren has finally written that they will get our rights. “Because this money belongs to every Jharkhandi.”

BJP Dhanwar MLA Babulal Marandi on Tuesday targeted JMM and shared in social media that JMM is making baseless and misleading allegations of Rs 1.36 lakh crore dues on the central government by talking baseless things. He had said that if JMM has any concrete evidence regarding this figure, then they should put it before the public with full documents and facts.

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday initiated the process for legal action to realise “Rs 1.36 lakh crore coal dues” from the Centre.

The government issued a notification authorising special secretary, revenue, registration and land reforms to commence the legal procedure to realise the dues.

The development comes shortly after the Jharkhand government, in its first cabinet meeting last month, announced taking legal action to get its dues.

“Special secretary, revenue, registration and land reforms is nominated as nodal officer to initiate immediate legal action to realise Rs 1.36 lakh crore dues from the Centre,” the notificated read.

“In case of obstacles in payments by subsidiaries of Coal India Limited in lieu of washed coal royalty dues, common cause dues etc, steps should be taken to resolve this in consultation with the Advocate General,” the notification said.

The move was taken after a Hindi newspaper published about Centre’s stance while responding to a query raised by Purnia (Bihar) MP Rajesh Ranjan (Pappu Yadav) in Lok Sabha, Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written statement clarified that there is no discrimination in the allocation of funds to states by the Centre and denied any share of Jharkhand pending with the Centre.