Govt prepares to tame bandh enforcers

State Home Secretary SKG Rahate and Director General of Police DK Pandey today jointly instructed all DCs and SPs of Jharkhand to strictly follow the orders of Jharkhand High Court and tame the bandh supporters during the bandh call by political parties on July 5.

The top officials instructed the DCs and SPs to act according to the orders passed by the High Court in Shailesh Kumar Singh Vs State of Jharkhand and other cases on bandhs called on December 03, 2003 and November 24, 2016. The High Court in its directions has clearly directed to ensure safeguarding of public and private property during bandh.

The Home Secretary and DGP have directed officials to conduct thorough videography of bandh on July 5. And have also stated that any loss of public or private property during the bandh will be compensated by political parties that have called the bandh. This will also be contempt of the court orders, they added.

The senior officials have said that strict action will be taken against people who come out with fire arms or any lethal weapon. Action will also be taken against those who will destroy or abet others to destroy public or private property.

Meanwhile, State BJP while criticising the JMM for calling bandh on July 5 against land amendment Bill termed it against the Constitutional provisions. Referring to a decision of the High Court in such matters the party also held the JMM for contempt.

“The bandh call given by the JMM is unconstitutional in the light of the High Court order given on December 3, 2003 in the Sailesh Kumar Singh vs Jharkhand State and others case. Large scale violence had taken place then during the bandh which was organsied on August 21, 2003 by the JMM then. Their supports had run amok across the city following that a PIL was filed and the decision was given by the Bench of Justices Balasubarmaniam and Tapan Sen commenting adversely against the party. The Bench had barred the JMM for calling bandh in the State in future,” said BJP spokesperson Pratul Sahadeo on Tuesday.

Flanked with another spokesperson Deendayal Barnwal, Sahadeo asked from the party to clarify its stand and justify the call given in the perspective of the court order. “The JMM should reply whether the bandh is not the violation of the court’s direction. Has the party lost its faith from the constitutional system and the High Court? This clearly shows that the party does neither care about the constitution nor the High Court. It is happening when the party leader is sitting on a constitutional post of the leader of the Opposition,” said Sahadeo.        

Alleging the Opposition parties for misleading the masses on the land related amendments, he quoted Congress’ Sukhdeo Bhagat comment during the TAC meeting held on July 3, 2017 where he had proposed to amend the Land Acquisition Bill, 2013 as the changes then proposed into the CNT Act would benefit only Chottanagpur region.