JMM-Cong charged with bartering Jharkhand interests

Going all out against rival political parties in the Opposition camp, the BJP has charged the JMM and Congress for being in sale and purchase act at the cost of Jharkhand. The party also rapped the role played by the Christian missionaries while questioning their credentials in the State.

Addressing a press conference on ongoing land issue, State BJP general secretary Deepak Prakash said that the Opposition, especially the JMM was spreading falsehood and negativity over the amendments made in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

“Intentions of the State Government are noble while amending the Act. The Bill has clarified that lands can be acquired for no other purpose other than public interest like building schools, healthcare facilities, roads, power grids. The Bill is to ensure how the raiyats get their compensation quickly as due to social impact assessment lots of time is consumed. It is unfortunate that the JMM that has always done deals with the Congress at the cost of Jharkhand is spreading confusion about this,” said Deepak Prakash flanked with spokespersons JB Tubid and Pratul Sahdeo on Monday.

Explaining further, the leader refereed to the JMM bribery of 1993 case and said that had the party then wished, Jharkhand could have come into existence then and there. “But they chose money over the interests of Jharkhand and struck an unholy deal with the Congress to save their Government at the Centre. The JMM sold and the Congress purchased. Again, the party supported and saved Government of Lalu Yadav who has been the biggest opponent of Jharkhand formation. Hemant Soren pulled down the Arjun Munda Government in the name of domicile policy and did nothing when he became chief minister. He instead removed regional languages from JPSC,” alleged Deepak Prakash hurling a series of accusations.

He went on charging the Congress for being the biggest displacer that acquired massive land for setting up Bokaro Steel Limited, HEC, DVC and several other PSUs but overlooked the interest of displaced. “People who have been uprooted due to these units are still languishing and wondering. Now, the JMM is supporting the same Congress. The Bill our Government has managed to pass would ensure compensation within eight months,” said he.

Tubid while explaining the reasons for amendments in the LA Act, 2013 said that significant and crucial projects carrying larger public interest had to be stalled due to SIA. He also talked about land with churches operating in the State.

“There is no provision of transfer of land under the CNT Act. However, the Christian missionaries in Jharkhand are the biggest landholders. Have they not done violations of the CNT Act? The BJP demands from the Government to probe the matter. The Government ought to acquire land for developmental causes which led to the amendments and the SIA provision has been skipped. Even then, the provision for Gram Sabha consent is very much intact before any acquisition to take place,” said he. 

Pratul Sahdeo, terming the missionaries anti-development, said that their acts done in the garb of social service had not impacted on the socio-economic conditions of the tribals in rural areas.

“Churches are the biggest landlords here. BJP’s ST wing is on a fact finding mission about this. BJP also demands from the Government to ban all such ‘Changai Sabhas’ playing out drama in the name of wellness,” said the spokesperson.