RANCHI: Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has returned the 13-year-old bulletproof vehicle provided to him by the Jharkhand government, citing frequent breakdowns and the alleged failure of the authorities to address the issue despite repeated complaints to senior officials and Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
In a letter written to the Chief Minister, Marandi has asked the Home Department to formally take possession of the vehicle and acknowledge receipt of his communication. He has also demanded that roadworthy vehicles be provided without delay for him and the security personnel accompanying him.
“I am hereby returning, with due respect, the bulletproof vehicle provided to me by the State Government for my security. Please instruct the Home Department to formally accept this vehicle and provide an acknowledgment to my office. I am compelled to write this letter because, despite having personally informed your senior officials that this vehicle frequently breaks down mid-journey, I am still expected to use it for my tours across the state,” stated Marandi in his letter.
He also asked CM Hemant Soren whether he would agree to undertake his next tour in such a vehicle.
In his letter, Marandi has also sought details of the action taken on his earlier complaints, asking the government to provide a written response within seven days. He questioned whether any directive had been issued by senior officials to withhold the replacement of his vehicle and sought clarification on who was responsible for the delay.
Recalling his earlier communication to the Chief Minister, Marandi said he had written directly to Hemant Soren, drawing attention to the condition of the bulletproof vehicles provided to former Chief Ministers.
“I would like to remind you that on March 21, 2026, I wrote directly to you to draw your attention to this matter. According to information I received at the time, the Home Department had purchased 17 bulletproof vehicles in December 2024. Of these, three were allocated for your use and two for the Raj Bhavan, while the remaining 12 were kept in the headquarters' reserve for the movement of VIPs. In that same letter, I pointed out that former Chief Ministers are forced to make do with vehicles that are ten to twelve years old, and that the vehicle allocated to me also breaks down repeatedly,” stated Marandi, further adding, “Time has passed from March to November; I ask you today—what instructions did you issue regarding my letter, and what was the outcome?”
Marandi said his private secretary, Rajendra Tiwari, had subsequently written to the Home Secretary, informing the department about the condition of the vehicles used in his security convoy.
He said the Director General of Police and the Inspector General of Police (Provision) had also been informed about the matter on several occasions. Marandi claimed that he had personally raised the issue with senior officials. He also argued that the government could no longer claim ignorance about the condition of the vehicles.
Notably, the development comes days after former Chief Minister Arjun Munda raised concerns over the condition of vehicles deployed in his security convoy following an accident involving one of the vehicles on November 6.