Protest Erupts Over Chaotic Chhath Ghat; Health Minister’s Effigy Burned

Jamshedpur: Locals expressed their ire on Tuesday upon witnessing the disorder at the Chhath Ghat in Mango Shankosai Shyam Nagar. Frustrated by the damaged infrastructure and lack of cleanliness, people staged a protest near Shyamnagar Chhath Ghat, directing their discontent towards Health Minister Banna Gupta for allegedly failing to fulfill his promises.

According to the aggrieved residents, it has been four years since Banna Gupta won the elections, yet he has not visited Shyam Nagar even once during this period. Residents asserted that before the elections, Minister Banna Gupta made grand promises, but after winning, he did not follow through. Shyam Nagar is inhabited by daily wage earners who lack access to large vehicles, making it challenging for them to travel elsewhere to celebrate the Chhath festival.

At the time of Chhath, ministers often make appearances, put up flex banners with their photos, speak to the people, and make assurances. However, the locals claim that no Chhath Ghat has been constructed or repaired in their area to date.

Upon receiving information about the situation, BJP leader Vikas Singh arrived at the scene and deemed the state of affairs unfortunate. He pointed out that Health Minister Banna Gupta, representing Jamshedpur West Assembly, had not built a single Chhath Ghat from Beli Bodhanwala Ghat to Gandhi Ghat and from Bone Warehouse to Turiya Beda in the last four years. Women at the site expressed concern about how they would celebrate Chhath with the current state of the ghat.

In response, local residents raised slogans against the minister and proceeded to burn his effigy. Key figures present during the demonstration included Vikas Singh, Sushil Sharma, Rajesh Sahu, Durga Charan Dutt, Ashwani Singh, Shivji Yadav, and others.