Puja revelry makes Opposition indifferent to iron ore fines issue

Pranav Pratyush/Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi

They have virtually stopped the proceedings of the house staging silent protests after a stormy day in the State Assembly on the issue of conditional sale of iron ore fines during the recently concluded monsoon session. The vocal leaders of Opposition, who had forced the ruling coalition to announce review of its decision, appeared quite indifferent on the issue on Thursday after the State Cabinet decided to maintain status quo over the decision.

Although voices of protest were raised by a number of leaders from Congress, JVM and the Left parties separately, they seemed too busy with Durga Puja preparations rather than being united and take a firm stand on the issue.

“The decision is a ploy of the government to mislead the Assembly. When the Chief Minister had announced that the government would review the decision, there was no such haste to bring the issue for discussions in the cabinet,” said State Congress Spokesperson Shailesh Sinha.

“The act of the government inadvertently suggests that there is some sort of pressure on the ruling coalition from certain ‘unknown’ forces. Although several leaders of the party have been talking separately about the matter, we would sit again to discuss it after puja holidays,” Sinha added hinting that party leaders were engrossed in puja revelry.

Although, party chief Babulal Marandi were unavailable for their comments, legislative body leader of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Pradeep Yadav said that the government was being forced to take such decisions in the pressure of some industrialists. Despite the CM’s assurance such cabinet decisions make the fact very clear, he added.

 Another vocal leader Samresh Singh who had made hue and cry over the issue in the Assembly was ignorant about the decision. After being briefed about the cabinet decision Singh said, “The government is no more trustworthy. People do not have any faith in this government. We will take strong steps against the decision after Puja vacations.”

Echoing similar views CPI (ML) legislator Vinod Singh said, “This is a conspiracy to mislead the legislative house and the people of the State. The Government had assured that it would review the decision. If the word review means this kind of action then the government should not have misguided the people of the State.”

Alleging that the government was representing few capitalists in the State, Singh demanded issue of White Paper on the matter by the government and explanation as to what benefit the State would get with the decision.

It must be mentioned here that the decision of the government to grant conditional permission to private firms to sell iron ore fines outside the State has been reaffirmed in Wednesday’s Cabinet decision.