A protest by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers outside the secretariat in Ranchi against the Hemant Soren government’s “failure to tackle unemployment, corruption, and deteriorating law and order situation” ended in a ruckus as police resorted to lathicharge. water cannons and tear gas. At least 30 workers were injured, while 24 were detained.
The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha termed it as a “political gimmick”. In another controversy, Congress MLA Irfan Ansari demanded the Jharkhand government to “beat up and break bones of BJP leaders who are going to gherao the secretariat” as they are misguiding. Ansari also alleged that Rs 2,000 per person was being paid by the BJP to take them to the gherao programme.
Thousands of state BJP workers and general public protested against the state at Prabhat Tara Maidan in Dhurva. Additional security forces were deployed ahead of the protest and barricades were placed at strategic locations to maintain law and order and smooth movement of vehicles.
As a precautionary measure, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 from 8 am to 11.30 pm within 200 meters of the building. The protesters broke the barricades and stood on them. Police lathi-charged, used water cannon and fired dozens of tear gas shells. The workers were chased and beaten. Over two dozen BJP leaders and supporters were detained for violating Section 144 and breaking barricades. Over 30 injured were shifted to private hospitals. During the lathicharge, there were blood stains on the clothes of former Chief Minister Raghubar Das. Talking to News18, Das said, “This blood stain will prove to be the last nail in the coffin.”
Those detained include MPs Sameer Oraon, Sunil Singh and MLA Biranchi Narayan. BJP state president and MP Deepak Prakash said that the police personnel were working on the behest of JMM workers. He also said that the government has lost the confidence of the public and hence is resorting to violence. “It will be remembered as a struggle against dictatorship, corruption-ridden, development-free, government of middlemen, loot of mineral wealth, government of appeasement and police tyranny. The struggle against the government will continue and this government has to be uprooted in the 2024 elections.
The BJP president has announced to celebrate ‘Black Day’ in all the mandals of the state on Wednesday.
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Can’t stop the sound with sticks and bullets: Babulal Marandi
Legislative party leader and former chief minister Babulal Marandi said the government tried to crush the movement. “The government wants to stop public questions in a democracy with sticks and bullets. But the BJP’s struggle will continue and the Hemant Soren government has to be uprooted.
Development work being done only on paper: Raghubar Das
Addressing the meeting, Raghubar Das targeted the government and said that people are troubled by unemployment, appeasement, casteism, abuse, extremism, infiltration, commission and failed law and order. He said, “The state government is completing development works on paper, but development is nowhere to be seen.”
Tribal society is being attacked: Arjun Munda
Union Minister and former Chief Minister Arjun Munda said that mineral wealth is being looted under the patronage of the government. The land of the tribals is being looted, the mafia-police system is getting the tribals killed. Women, sisters, youth, unemployed, backward farmers, dalits, tribals have become helpless due to the misrule of the government. On the one hand, the Modi government at the Center is increasing everyone’s respect, while attacks are taking place in Jharkhand.
BJP will also work for the beautification of Jharkhand: Annapurna Devi
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State and Koderma MP Annapurna Devi said that the state government’s attempt to stop the workers from participating in the protest shows Soren’s defeat. “The land of Bhagwan Birsa Munda never tolerates injustice. Hemant government cannot be allowed to loot. Jharkhand was created by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the BJP will defend the state.
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