‘Withdraw farm bills, wake up from slumber’: Jharkhand CM slams Centre over farmers’ stir

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren blasted Modi-government in the Centre over ongoing farmers strike saying that PM Narendra Modi would wake up from slumber after death of farmers.

Soren was speaking to media after paying respect to martyr Nirmal Mahato, a stalwart of Jharkhand separate state movement, on his 70th birth anniversary in Jamshedpur on Friday.

“The way farmers’ strike is continuing, it seems PM Modi would wake up after the death of the farmers as his government appears to be hell-bent on taking the lives of the protesting farmers. The Union government should solve the problems of the farmers and withdraw the anti-people laws immediately. India has a distinguished image at international forums but the PM is diminishing it by his government’s adamant attitude,” said Soren after garlanding the life-size statue of Mahato at his memorial in Uliyan under Kadma police station (PS) this afternoon.

The CM also said his government had completed a year in office and would present its account of performance and achievements on December 29 along with the roadmap for the next four years.

“Our government will not allow any illegal activity and ensure rule of law at any cost. There have been cases of illegal mining and we have taken action by stalking them. Most of the iron ore mines are now closed and penalty have also been levied on them for illegal mining. The past one year in office has been challenging. The old system has still been in effect in many spheres and we are trying to change the system. The previous state government had completely derailed the state. Once we accomplish the job of getting the system on track, the state will progress with double speed,” asserted Soren.

He said it was an occasion of double joy as it was Christmas and also Mahato’s birth anniversary.

“Nirmal Mahato was one of the pioneering and leading leaders of Jharkhand separate state movement. The crowd of people here shows the people’s love for him and JMM. It is such occasions when JMM’s bonding with the people gets further strengthened,” Soren said before leaving for Ranchi via Bokaro.

Late Nirmal Mahato’s sister-in-law Ichagarh MLA Sabita Mahato, former state minister Sudhir Manato’s widow, her daughters, state ministers Champai Soren, Banna Gupta, MLAs Ramdas Soren, Mangal Kalindi, Samir Mohanty, Sanjiv Sardar and other JMM leaders were present on the occasion.