Providing ammunition to the Treasury Bench to corner it, the Opposition did not move any amendment in the Governor’s address on Wednesday, even as leader of opposition (LoP) Babulal Marandi hit out at the Hemant Soren government over a host of issues besides defending the decision saying there was no point moving amendment against the speech prepared by a ‘self-declared helpless government’.
Participating in the discussion on the address by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on the inaugural day of the Budget session, Marandi also sought expunging of reference to Epstein Files by the Treasury Bench.
“One of the members here underlined that we have not moved any amendment in the Governor’s address. Our members also brought this up, but I told them that there was no point in moving an amendment to a speech prepared by the government which on its own has described it as ‘helpless’ by saying that they can perform only when the Centre helps them,” LoP Marandi said at the beginning of his speech while participating in the discussion on Thursday.
The remark came against a swipe taken by Congress leader Pradeep Yadav saying that the BJP had surrendered both in Parliament and the state legislature.
“It is unprecedented that the Opposition did not move any amendment in the Governor’s address, which outlines the blueprint and achievements of the government. It means they have accepted it. At the Centre they are shying away from giving answers in Parliament and here they have surrendered in this House today (by not moving amendment),” Yadav said.
{{/usCountry}}“It is unprecedented that the Opposition did not move any amendment in the Governor’s address, which outlines the blueprint and achievements of the government. It means they have accepted it. At the Centre they are shying away from giving answers in Parliament and here they have surrendered in this House today (by not moving amendment),” Yadav said.
{{/usCountry}}Participating in the discussion, the LoP, however hit out at the government over issues like alleged land grab of tribals, controversial appointment of DGP, functioning of the state anti-corruption bureau, vacant posts of information commissioners and Lokayukta for several years besides foreign visit of the CM during Republic Day.
“They talk of zero tolerance against corruption, but their act is contradictory. I wrote to the CM about the liquor scam months before it came to fore. When the ACB started action and arrested senior officials, I thought at least they had accepted it. But what happened? They have not been able to file a charge sheet even after four months, giving benefit to the accused. Is this zero tolerance?” said Marandi.
“The post of chief information commissioner and six information commissioners and Lokayukta has been vacant for past four and half years. Then how do you keep corruption in check? The government bent rules to appoint DGP. Earlier it was Anurag Gupta. Then he was asked to resign. Then they appointed Tadasha Mishra who was not even in the DG rank. This when three DG rank officials were available in the state itself. They don’t even follow the set rules and then expect the Centre to cooperate,” added Marandi.
At this juncture, CM Soren intervened and urged the LoP not to bring up a sub-judice matter in Assembly, in an apparent reference to a writ petition filed by Marandi in Supreme Court, challenging the DGP appointment. “The issue of DGP appointment is a sub judice matter, which better not be discussed in the House,” the CM said.
In an apparent reference to SC direction on DGP appointment related to Tamil Nadu recently, the LoP, underlined that the court had already passed its verdict on a related matter.
Being the sole speaker from his party, Marandi also hit out at the government for its ‘double speak’ on protection of Jal, Jungle, Jameen (water, forest and land) and the tribal land.
“Agricultural land of tribals is being acquired mindlessly when the government can provide barren land for industry and other development projects. But the government is hell bent on evicting tribals from their land citing technical reasons, be it for RIMS-2 in Ranchi or for the industrial park in Jasidih,” the LoP said, urging the CM to review the decisions.
Marandi, who was first chief minister of the state, also took umbrage to some remarks by the Treasury Bench members on connecting Epstein Files with PM Modi. “The Epstein Files are still unverified documents. There are references to even Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. I request the Speaker to get the references expunged from the proceedings,” Marandi said.
Earlier, while participating in the discussion, Congress legislature party leader Pardeep Yadav said, “They always target our leader Jawaharlal Nehru. But his name came up in communications sent by the greatest of the scientists Albert Einstein. However, the name of our current PM is being referred to in Epstein Files,” said Yadav.
Senior JMM legislator Hemlala Murmu also hit out at the Centre for its decision over Vande Mataram and changing the name of MGNREGA, underlining that the BJP was against the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi.