Ranchi: A delegation of JMM, Congress, CPI-ML-L, and the RJD on Friday raised a strong objection with the Election Commission (EC) over the latter’s directive to the state govt to remove Deoghar SP Ajit Peter Dungdung and barring him from election-related assignments or duties.
Dungdung was removed earlier this week. Chief minister Hemant Soren, in a public post, questioned his removal and asked why the BJP was averse to tribal and Dalit bureaucrats and senior cops.
The delegation handed over a memorandum, titled to chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajeev Kumar, to the state chief electoral officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar and said the logic behind the decision was unfathomable. The delegation also claimed that Dungdung’s ouster indicated that one political party was being favoured.
Mentioning that Ranchi deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri was also removed by the EC, the delegation claimed that the BJP-led govt at the Centre was visibly against the tribal and Dalit officers in the bureaucracy.
“These officials were removed during the Lok Sabha election based on the complaints of BJP candidate Nishikant Dubey (Godda). We did not object then. But this time, the officers were removed without any valid ground,” JMM general secretary-cum-spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya claimed. The coalition further claimed that such orders were meant to create chaos within the state bureaucracy.
Speaking at a press conference after returning from the CEO’s office, Congress, RJD, and CPI-ML leaders also claimed that the election was being held at a time when festivals such as Chhath, Sohrai, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Birsa Munda Jayanti were supposed to be celebrated.
“Thousands from different parts of Jharkhand, which will vote in the first phase on November 13, will move to Bihar to observe Chhath on November 8. The EC will take thousands of vehicles to move its polling officials and security personnel, and these people will be unable to return to cast their votes,” RJD spokesperson Kailash Yadav said.