Chief minister Hemant Soren said on Friday that the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was satisfied and had accepted the good performance of their government, and that was the reason they did not bring any amendment motion against the governor’s address, which was unprecedented since the formation of the state.
Though the chief minister, in his reply to the discussion on the governor’s address in Assembly, thanked the BJP for not moving any amendment, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president hit out at the BJP and the Central government over a host of issues including trade deals with the United States and the gaffe at the ongoing Artificial Intelligence Summit.
“In the past 25 years, this is the first time that the Opposition hasn’t moved an amendment motion against the governor’s address in the state. This means they have started accepting the good work of the government. They are criticising the government in their speech but did not move any amendment. We have just started work. This is the beginning. I am afraid they might have heart attacks once the state starts reaping the fruits of our schemes,” Soren said.
Only one member, Neera Yadav, was present in the House when the CM was giving his reply to the address. Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi had on Thursday defended the party’s decision not to move an amendment saying ‘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’.
{{/usCountry}}Only one member, Neera Yadav, was present in the House when the CM was giving his reply to the address. Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi had on Thursday defended the party’s decision not to move an amendment saying ‘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’.
{{/usCountry}}Lauding the efforts of his government, Soren said times had changed as other governments were copying schemes of the Jharkhand government. “The way we are moving, Jharkhand will be in the top ranking states of the country by 2050,” he added.
Accusing the BJP of spreading ‘communal poison’, the CM said while their government was strengthening the democratic values, the BJP was crushing the voice of dissent. “Here we patiently hear all criticism of the Opposition. They speak what they have to and then exit when we reply. But what happens in Delhi (Parliament)? There, even the leader of the Opposition is not allowed to speak,” the CM said.
“Recently, we went to Davos (for the WEF annual meet). There, posters were put even against chief guest, American president Donald Trump. But no action was taken against people behind such posters. And here, the government would surely register a case of sedition against those criticising the AI Summit,” Soren said.
Replying to LoP’s criticism over paddy procurement in the state, he said the BJP leaders should instead have expressed concern about trade deals with the US. “What will happen when the foreign agricultural products are allowed into the country? What will happen to the farmers and the foodgrains here? They should have instead spoken about that,” said the chief minister.