RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday went all guns blazing on the BJP and said that his government was forced to enact anti-mob lynching legislation after the "Ravana" party came to power at Centre, "ruining the social fabric" of the country.
The BJP, on the other hand, asserted that the party is trying to bring "Ram Rajya" in the country, and alleged that Soren is heading a corrupt government and the "unconstitutional" anti-mob lynching law was passed in the assembly in haste, and it is the culmination of the ruling dispensation's appeasement policies.
Asserting that the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill 2021, passed in the Jharkhand assembly during its recently concluded winter session, will prevent anti-social elements from taking the law into their hands, Soren said that the Centre should have enacted such a legislation to protect the citizens of the country.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president also alleged that the Centre's move to raise the marriageable age of women to 21 years was "politically motivated", and wondered whether the voting age will also be increased to 21.
"The BJP wants to make India a Hindu Rashtra. They are considered intellectual people but they are misguiding the masses. The anti-mob lynching act is not a Hindu, Muslim or Adivasi act because a mob is simply a mob."
"We were forced to enact the legislation after the BJP, which is like Ravana, came to power at Centre and created an atmosphere which ruined the social fabric of the country," Soren told reporters ahead of his government's scheduled completion of two years on December 29.
Reacting to Soren's statement, state BJP chief MP Deepak Prakash said, "The BJP is trying to bring 'Ram Rajya', while Soren is heading a corrupt government. The anti-mob lynching law is unconstitutional as it was passed in haste without any debate or discussion. It is the culmination of the Soren government's appeasement policy. Neither do we support mob lynching nor is it Jharkhand's tradition."
The chief minister claimed that a caste census will help policymakers frame targeted welfare schemes for backward castes.
On the recent controversy over the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination, Soren said that the BJP is creating a hue and cry as 3,000 of the 4,000 selected candidates were from reserved categories.
Stormy scenes were witnessed during the winter session of the assembly from December 16 to 22, with the BJP demanding CBI inquiry alleging irregularities in the state civil services examinations.
Soren had alleged that those with "Manuwadi mindset" were not able to accept the success of SC, ST and OBC candidates.
He dismissed charges of corruption, stating that the examination was conducted by JPSC without any government intervention, and alleged that appointments were made to deputy superintendent of police posts sans any tests during the BJP rule, for which CBI inquiry is underway.
Replying to a query on various vacant constitutional positions, Soren said that legal advice has been sought for filling these posts.
The Leader of Opposition position is still vacant as Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahato is yet to accord the status to BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi.
When asked about protests by JMM members against some industrial houses in the state, the chief minister said that the demonstrations should not be linked to the state government and the stir was against a few entities wanting to shift their headquarters to other states despite their main production area being Jharkhand.
"While the Damodar Valley Corporation's main operating area is Jharkhand, its headquarters is in West Bengal. Likewise, Coal India has its major mines in our state but headquarters elsewhere," he said.
Asserting that his government is focused on employment generation, Soren said that forest produce is being harnessed and tourism promoted, besides the core segment of minerals.
"New experiments are being done in the state with khadi. Long-term development plans are being made for education and health sectors. Digital Skill University is being set up, and decentralisation of power is being done to benefit the people," he said.
The chief minister said that 32 applications for various government schemes were received on the state's Foundation Day on November 15 in over 6,000 camps under the 'Aapke Adhikar, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar' Scheme, and of those, 23 lakh have been disposed of.