JAMSHEDPUR: JMM today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme in the steel city was a "flop" while a bandh called by it in the region was a historic one.
The bandh called by the party in protest against the domicile policy recently announced by the state government was a historic one in mineral-rich Kolhan region comprising of East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan district, Senior Vice-President of JMM and former Jharkhand Minister Champai Soren told a press conference here.
Describing the National Panchayati Raj day function addressed by Modi in Jamshedpur as flop in the same breath, Soren, who was accompanied by JMM MLA and party's Chief Spokesman Kunal Sarangi, claimed 80 per cent of elected panchayat representatives have boycotted the Prime Minister’s program.
"Modi did not announce anything new but keep repeating unfulfilled assurance in his address to panchayat representatives from across the country," he said, adding that majority of panchayat representatives from the host region did not attend.
Soren said the entire state machineries were engaged in making Modi’s program a success for last 20 days and spent around Rs 20 crore on advertisement at a time Jharkhand was reeling under acute water crisis.
The JMM threatened to intensify its agitation further alleging the Raghubar Das-led government's domicile policy was against the aspirations of the adivasis and moolvasis of the state.
Sarangi alleged that some police officials ransacked his office in Baharagora in East Singhbhum district on the eve of the bandh and even beat up some of his office staff.
"The district machineries have taken to oppression to make the bandh a failure but the people have responded positively," he said stating that the approach of the administration reminded of the emergency days.