J'khand CM lashes out at BJP in state Assembly calls it 'anti-tribal'

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Friday lashed out at BJP in the state Assembly calling it 'anti-tribal'.

He said that not only Manipur but the entire northeast is undergoing a phase similar to it.

In the ongoing monsoon session of Lok Sabha the Centre has made amendments in the Forest Conservation Act that will deprive tribals of their forest rights too.

They (BJP) talk about tribals, but they are most anti-tribal. What happened in Manipur is not hidden. It is not just Manipur, but the entire hill areas of the northeast are going through a similar phase ... The tribal society is being oppressed in Manipur and the (BJP) government there is watching the spectacle as a mute spectator ... ," he said.

Ethnic violence which broke out in Manipur in May this year has continued sporadically to plague Manipur for the last three months and has claimed more than 160 lives.

Soren also raised the issue of communal tension-affected Haryana and lambasted the BJP for creating uproarious scenes in the assembly for the past five days over tribal and law and order issues. BJP talks about law and order situation in Jharkhand, but what is happening in Haryana?"

"Their (BJP'S) policy is to divide and rule," he said and attacked the Centre for misusing constitutional institutions for fuelling riots as 2024 elections are drawing near.

On the amendments in the Forest Conservation Act, he said "I will neither allow last year's amended rules that snatched the right of the gram sabha to be implemented in this state, nor will I allow the central government's plan to evict the tribals from their forests by changing the law to succeed ... The state government is going to constitute the Displacement Commission, SC and ST Commission," he said.

He also attacked the saffron party for ''misleading'' the youth with its employment policy and said his government would bring and pass legislation in the state assembly that will ensure 100 per cent employment to the local youth.

"The opposition gave a '60-40' slogan to mislead the youth of Jharkhand, when the fact is that it was done during the tenure of the previous (BJP) government ... Our government in a bid to ensure 100 per cent jobs to Jharkhand youth brought a domicile policy based on the 1932 khatiyan. It got stuck with the Raj Bhawan and we could not do anything.

"But, our effort for the 1932 khatiyan-based employment policy will continue. We will bring a bill again and pass it in the Assembly, Soren told the House.

He said a decision on the 1932 land record-based policy for employment was taken through a consensus with consultation with the youth and the process is on to ensure the recruitment of about 50,000 posts in Jharkhand.

"In the existing policy, 50 per cent of the seats are already reserved for SC/ST/OBC and another 10 per cent for EWS. In the remaining 40 per cent seats, Jharkhand students are entitled, he said.

Soren alleged that during the tenure of the BJP in the state around 75 per cent of the seats were filled with outsiders.

With our strict vigil now, only 15-20 per cent of the seats go to outsiders. But, our effort is to bring it down to zero percent, he said.

The monsoon session of the Jharkhand assembly was adjourned sine die soon after Soren''s speech late in the evening.