Govt dithers over panchayat polls

Govt dithers over panchayat polls

Vijay Deo Jha

RANCHI | Thursday, March 25, 2010


Trouble in Jharkhand isn’t merely over how and when to conduct long pending panchayat elections. It is over reordering the entire political landscape of a State that doesn’t care being polite about its bitter and visceral fault lines any more ie Sadan (non-tribal) versus tribal.

Sadans are simmering against the extension to Scheduled Areas Act (PESA).

Provisions of cent per cent reservation for Schedule Tribes for the posts of chief and deputy chiefs of all panchayat

bodies falling under scheduled area, across three tiers have irked Sadans.

The three tiers comprise gram panchayat (panchayat level), panchayat samiti (block level) and zilla parishad (district level).

The Government is dithering to announce the schedule of the elections and still searching for balm to stop anti-PESA passion to turn in flame. The Government echoed conflicting notes on the floor of the house whenever the Opposition demanded explanation over the scheduled date.

Well-placed sources in the Government accepted that the Government was caught in a conflicting situation. “Don’t know what to do. The Supreme Court has directed to conduct election without delay and these Sadans are dead against the elections in its present format. If you please Sadan it will offend tribals.”

“We have not received any representation from any Sadan outfit to amend PESA Act. Let it come first we will see,” the deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato said.

And in the ringing words of Pandey Himansunath Roy, Convener of the Sadan Vikash Parisad, “We want the empowerment of the tribals but not at the cost of damaging the genuine interest of other social groups. We are opposed to violence but there will be thousands of frontiers of unrest; if elections were conducted under discriminatory provisions of PESA.

Lal Chand Mahato of Bahujan Sadan during Kurmi caste conclave few days back demanded ST status for Kurmi caste otherwise threatened to oppose the PESA Act.

The statement drew flak even some of the Kurmi leaders, who pilloried Mahato for ditching the larger interest of Sadans.

Now both decided to pitch battle against PESA Act in their own fashion. Mahato announced to gherao the Assembly and Roy and his supporters announced to hold demonstration at Jantar Mantar on April 26. Meanwhile, Sadan Vikash Parisad has also filed appeal in the Supreme Court against its decision on PESA Act.

The immediate cause of what’s unfolding today probably goes back to 2005, when the Arjun Munda-led NDA Government moved ahead to conduct panchayat elections under PESA Act it met spontaneous Statewide bandh.

The accumulated causes go even further back. PESA Act is probably merely the latest flash point.

“Sadans comprise 70 per cent population of Jharkhand and still discriminated,” says Nirbhay Kumar, a politically affiliated Sadan activist. What we do to be heard, resort to violence?

“Why they have all Chief Ministers and we have none? Why do they get preference in Government jobs? Why they have 60 per cent of power? Why should they (tribals) get reservations even in the panchayats with no tribal population? Why all these munificence?

Why? Why? Why? Sadan leaders are an angry trigger-burst of questions wherever you go; knowing their movement has no takers among the political parties.

“It is because political parties have no interest in the social issues. It is apolitical battle,” Roy said.

Daughter-in-law Sita may vacate Jama seat for Soren


Not will she or won't she but hasn't she

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

NATION | Friday, April 9, 2010

The Chief Minister’s residence was abuzz with report of the probability of the resignation of Sita Soren from the Jama Assembly constituency in a couple of days to provide a safe seat to her father-in-law and Chief Minister Shibu Soren to contest from.

Though Sita Soren, widow of Durga Soren, refused to give a direct answer, reliable sources in the JMM said that she has been convinced to tender her resignation for the interest of the party and the Government.

“I am yet to decide. I am yet to see the things…no comment over when, why and how of the resignation,” Sita told to The Pioneer.

But JMM insiders confided that the constituency drama would finally end with a happy note. “She could possibly hand over her resignation letter to the Chief Minister late on Thursday night or day after to pave way for Shibu Soren to contest from Jama,” JMM leader Supriyo Bhattacharya said.

Bhattacharya, nevertheless, refused to disclose whether Sita would be suitably rewarded for her good gesture — resignation which she had refused despite mounting pressure within the Soren family.

“It is up to Guruji (Shibu Soren) to decide the things,” he said.

Sources close to Sita said under the negotiations Sita wanted an honourable deal for her. “There is nothing specific. But when she has decided to stay in politics and now under pressure to relinquish Jama for the larger interest of the party and the government, the reward must be proportionate to that,” said a close associate of late Durga Soren, husband of Sita.

A peeved Sita on March 28 had announced to resign from Jama, obliquely hinting that she was under tremendous pressure within the family to vacate the seat. That day Hemant Soren, the younger son of Shibu Soren, had made a smart move and announced his willingness to quit the Dumka Assembly constituency if the controversy over constituency continued.

But by then the feud within the Soren family had landed in the public domain.

Storm in JMM over Soren’s probable constituency

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

NATION | Monday, March 29, 2010


A storm in a teacup is brewing in the JMM over Soren’s probable constituency. His son Hemant Soren and daughter-in-law Sita Soren on Sunday announced to resign from their Assembly constituencies — Dumka and Jama respectively — to pave the way for father Soren to contest the by-election.

“I can vacate Dumka seat for Chief Minister Shibu Soren to fight the by-election,” Hemant told the media on Sunday afternoon in Ramgarh district during an official tour with his father.

However, Shibu Soren neither attested nor contested the sudden revelation of Hemant. “I will contest as I told you,” Guruji said but refused to answer ‘where’ and ‘when’ of the constituency.

Shibu Soren, aka Guruji, is now running short of time — only three months — to contest and win the Assembly bypoll to retain the post of the Chief Minister. However, this time unauthenticated story of the rupture within Soren’s family is in air. A close aide of Sita alleged that Guruji’s youngest son Basant Soren and other leaders of the JMM are pressurising her to vacate Jama Assembly seat to make way for Guruji.

“I am going to resign from Jama for the Chief Minister to contest…I give you this breaking news,” Sita told The Pioneer over telephone in declamatory tone, adding, “I am fed up with…will be happy to remain as the ex-MLA of Jama.” She refused to disclose whether she could be suitably rewarded for that sacrifice.

“Do not know…cannot tell it right now. He (Guruji) is the guardian of the family he will take care of my interest,” she said.

Quick to snub the allegation, Basant swears: “She (Sita) is the wife of my elder brother and I have a lot of respect for her. It is a wrong allegation.”

But announcements and clarification could not help to break the ice; it rather exposed a major fault-line within Soren family. Sita, till a few days back, is reported to have protested her political disinheritance by leaving Jama. Despite the fact, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) insiders revealed, Guruji wanted to contest from Jama. However, the JMM insiders claimed that Guruji initially had even in his mind to nominate Sita as the JMM candidate for Dumka parliamentary election. But the discussion never took a serious proportion. Guruji is representing Dumka parliamentary seat and he is yet to resign from the Lok Sabha.

“It is unfortunate that in the JMM decisions are taken at the last hour when things go beyond control. He (Guruji) should ideally have convinced Sita to leave Jama assuring a political reward…no serious effort was made, perhaps. There is too much discord in the Soren family. Ambitions are too high,” a JMM party worker close to Soren family said.

Guruji’s tactical silence to announce his constituency gave rise to the suspicion that he was not willing to contest Assembly bypoll despite he made his intention clear to contest on the floor of the Assembly. Trusted lieutenants of Guruji had said that he will announce his constituency just after the budget session of the Assembly, which ended on Saturday. While Soren siblings made startling revelation of their loyalty to Guruji, the JMM house appeared divided. “Dumka was never the priority of Guruji. He had two options — Jama and Jamtara — to contest. JMM MLA from Jamtara Vishnu Bhaiya has already offered his seat. I do not who prompted them to go public,” a senior JMM leader said.

Meanwhile State Assembly Speaker CP Singh declined that he received any communication from Sita and Hemant about their intention to resign.

“I have not received any communication or any resignation letter from them,” Singh told The Pioneer. The turmoil in the first family of Jharkhand politics is public now.

Cop-bashing on closing day of Budget session

Vijay Deo Jha

RANCHI | Sunday, March 28, 2010

The concluding day of the budget session of the State Assembly saw the Opposition adamant over its demand to suspend Bundu DSP, Anand Joseph Tigga for allegedly manhandling a bank officer Nasim Ahmed, on March 23.

Alleging that the State Government was shielding the police despite the preliminary inquiry report of the IG Rezi Dungdung, which found him guilty of misbehaving with Ahmed, the Opposition demanded exemplary action against the police officer.

The Opposition was not satisfied with the Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das' announcement that Tigga had been transferred with immediate effect and the police constable who allegedly thrashed Ahmed had been suspended.

JVM leader Pradeep Yadav, Vinod Singh of CPI (ML) and Annapurna Devi stalled the proceedings of the house for a couple of minutes.

Calling the Government callous, the Opposition blamed it for hushing up the matter by suspending only the constable and demanded that the investigation report be placed before the House.

Reading out the report, Das accepted that the IG had held Tigga responsible for not reacting promptly and restraining the accused police constable.

"But this is a preliminary report. A full-fledged investigation is yet to take place. The police need to obtain the version of other passengers and drivers present that night. For this the department will publish advertisement in the newspaper so that eyewitnesses may come forward to give their statement," Das said. He rubbished the Opposition's allegation that the government was defending Tigga.

However, in another case the Opposition forced the Government to suspend another erring police official, the station in-charge Barkattha police, Rambhaju Dayal.

Pradeep Yadav who raised the issue said that the police did not register an FIR of the death of a 13-year-old girl Anita Kumari (daughter of Damar Mahato of village Sallaiya), who worked as Dayal's domestic servant for eight months.

Taking the matter seriously the Speaker CP Singh asked the government to take action against Dayal. The State Government announced Dayal's suspension of on the floor of the House and directed the police to lodge an FIR. The House also announced action against Dayal under different sections of Labour Law for employing a minor as servant.

The House also passed the Bill for the establishment National Law Study and Research University with some minor amendments. Tabling the Bill the HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu said that the proposed university will cater to the needs of a vast number of students and prove as a milestone.

The Opposition however, wanted changes in the proposed draft, including the opening of two centres of the proposed university in Dumka and Jamshedpur. Pradeep Yadav of JVM wanted the government to make provision of 70 per cent reservation for the students of Jharkhand against the proposed 50 per cent. Both proposals were rejected.

The HRD Minister also announced a law to curb arbitrary hike of the fee by the private schools without the prior sanction of the State Government. Answering Congress MLA Gitashree Oraon's query, Murmu said "We will soon bring the law. From now on private schools will have to reserve some of the seats for the poor students after the enactment of Right to Education Act," the minister said.