Amrapara (Pakur): Firebrand social activist Munni Hansda, who has been fighting against the "anti-people" policies of coal companies for over 15 years, is contesting the assembly election as an independent candidate from Littipara constituency.
She had fought the 2019 assembly polls as a TMC candidate from Shikaripara.
"I am a primary member of TMC but in the fray in this poll as an independent as my party is not participating this time. It might have an alliance with JMM. I told a senior TMC leader to develop the party in Jharkhand as only BJP will remain here if JMM becomes weak. TMC will have a chance to replace JMM as an alternative," she said.
Hansda catapulted to fame during the anti-displacement movement against the RPG's proposed thermal project in 2008 when three tribal protesters were killed in police firing at Kathikund. One Siget Marandi lost his eyes in the incident. Hansda was branded a Maoist and jailed for seven months.
The gritty woman is leading a movement of those displaced in the coal mining projects in Pakur and Dumka districts. "I will legally fight against the coal firms that are exploiting people. They should pay adequate compensation to the displaced and provide jobs to the local people," she said.
Alleging that coal firms are usurping the land belonging to the poor by paying a paltry amount of money to them, she said, "I will ensure that a compensation amount of Rs 1.70 crore per acre is paid to the landowners."
The Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act and forest laws should be implemented to ensure that gullible people are not cheated, she asserted.
Hansda is pitted against Hemlal Murmu of JMM and Babudhan Murmu of BJP. Hemlal has represented the neighbouring Barhait assembly seat several times on a JMM ticket and was also Rajmahal Lok Sabha MP once.