Govt to review works done under President’s Rule
Vijay Deo Jha | RANCHI | Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Jharkhand Government on Friday said that it did not agree with all the decisions taken by the State administration during the President's Rule. The Government would review those decisions, said Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das in a reply to JVM leader Pradeep Yadav's question.
"No work, actually, took place during 11 months of the President's Rule in Jharkhand and the State Government will review the decisions taken during this period," Das said.
Yadav, during the Question Hour, had raised the issue of the 'Technical Employment Exchange' in Jharkhand which he said "has failed to cater employment for the people who enrolled themselves with the exchange."
From 2002 to till now, around 9,352 people with technical qualifications had enrolled themselves with the exchange. In 2009, the State Government published only eight vacancies of the technical posts despite of the fact that a lot of technical posts are lying vacant.
Seeking action against the officials concerned, the JVM leader said that only two candidates were selected out of 237 eligible.
Das rose to defend his Cabinet colleague Umakant Rajak, who holds the portfolio of Labour and Employment, and shifted the blame of the failure of the department on the previous Government. He said that the State Government was not in agreement with the decisions taken by the then Government.
Das was challenged by Yadav, who wanted to know whether the State Government gave clean chit to the previous Government. "No, we cannot give clean chit to the President's Rule and want review," Das said.
In his reply Rajak informed the Assembly that the department was going to hold a two-days long job fair starting from March 27.
The Opposition also raised the issue of the para-medicals in Jharkhand who have resorted to hunger strike from the past four days. Congress MLA KN Tripathy wanted to know whether the State Government has any plan to regularise their service. Tripathy claimed that around 4000 post of the para-medics have been lying vacant in Jharkhand from the past eight years and the State Government has enrolled only 1,513 para-medics on the contractual basis.
In his reply, Health Minister Vaidyanath Ram expressed the willingness of the State Government to regularise their service. "The State Government is in the process to form a Para-Medical Council and file has been put before the Law department to obtain its view. Once the council is formed the state government will hold examination…to kick start the process of appointment," he said.
JVM MLA Nizamuddin Ansari and Vinod Singh of the CPI (ML) jointly raised the issue of the primary health-care centre of Balhata block under Giridih district which has been running without doctor and medical staff from the past couple of years. Speaker CP Singh intervened in the matter and asked the Government to seek status report from Giridih DC.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Maoists hold officials hostage for 3 hours
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Additional district magistrate of Latehar Shravan Sai and three other officials of the district administration were kept hostage by the CPI (Maoist) for three hours in Latehar, on Saturday.
The incident took place around 1pm at Bandhuwa village under Manika block where the officials had gone to inspect the progress of the work under the NREGA scheme.
“All four officials, including Sai, Helin Bhengra (Executive Engineer of Road Construction Dept), District Dairy Officer Vinod Kumar Singh, Saryu Ram of the Special Division REO and the peon Kiran Oraon were released by the Naxalites around 4pm,” Kuldeep Dwivedi, SP Latehar said.
An eyewitness narrating the incident said that around 1 pm, four suspected Naxalites on two motorbikes — in civil and police dress — reached a middle school where the officials were discussing about the rural development projects.
“Two Maoists in plainclothes entered the room and asked the officials to come out. Pushing them in a Tata Sumo, the Maoists moved to an unknown location. The incident was brought to the notice by a village- level employee who escaped notice by the Naxalites while sneaking from the place,” the eyewitness said.
The vehicles of the officials JH03B 0127and JH03C 0538 lay abandoned.
Dwivedi claimed that the police had cordoned the area of operation of Yadav, which forced the CPI (Maoist) cadres to set the officials free. They were released at a place nearly two kilometers away from the spot of the crime.
Sources said that the group involved held the ADM and others hostage to protest malpractices in the government-run scheme.
They were released following an assurance that the problems/wrongs would be corrected. The officials were taken to the block office of Manika after their release.
Meanwhile, forces have been deployed to hunt down Naxalites in the area. In the last two weeks after Operation Green Hunt against the red ultras commenced, suspected Naxalites have abducted nearly 10 officials and people.
Meanwhile, human rights activists and intellectuals, including Ramdayal Munda, NRGEA activist Jen Drej, Dr Vandana Shiva, Professor BP Kesri and 40 others, have appealed to the government to halt the operation, which they said, will result in collateral damage for the tribals.
“Innocents get trampled upon and disaffection spreads, things turn counter-productive,” they appealed.
As the security forces launch Operation Green Hunt, intelligence agencies have warned the government that armed Naxalites were ready with their offensive, including abductions of officials, in response to the first security thrust into their strongholds.
Intelligence inputs reaching from different parts of the State, suggest that a large number of Naxal cadres have deserted their bases to melt away into urban anonymity.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Additional district magistrate of Latehar Shravan Sai and three other officials of the district administration were kept hostage by the CPI (Maoist) for three hours in Latehar, on Saturday.
The incident took place around 1pm at Bandhuwa village under Manika block where the officials had gone to inspect the progress of the work under the NREGA scheme.
“All four officials, including Sai, Helin Bhengra (Executive Engineer of Road Construction Dept), District Dairy Officer Vinod Kumar Singh, Saryu Ram of the Special Division REO and the peon Kiran Oraon were released by the Naxalites around 4pm,” Kuldeep Dwivedi, SP Latehar said.
An eyewitness narrating the incident said that around 1 pm, four suspected Naxalites on two motorbikes — in civil and police dress — reached a middle school where the officials were discussing about the rural development projects.
“Two Maoists in plainclothes entered the room and asked the officials to come out. Pushing them in a Tata Sumo, the Maoists moved to an unknown location. The incident was brought to the notice by a village- level employee who escaped notice by the Naxalites while sneaking from the place,” the eyewitness said.
The vehicles of the officials JH03B 0127and JH03C 0538 lay abandoned.
Dwivedi claimed that the police had cordoned the area of operation of Yadav, which forced the CPI (Maoist) cadres to set the officials free. They were released at a place nearly two kilometers away from the spot of the crime.
Sources said that the group involved held the ADM and others hostage to protest malpractices in the government-run scheme.
They were released following an assurance that the problems/wrongs would be corrected. The officials were taken to the block office of Manika after their release.
Meanwhile, forces have been deployed to hunt down Naxalites in the area. In the last two weeks after Operation Green Hunt against the red ultras commenced, suspected Naxalites have abducted nearly 10 officials and people.
Meanwhile, human rights activists and intellectuals, including Ramdayal Munda, NRGEA activist Jen Drej, Dr Vandana Shiva, Professor BP Kesri and 40 others, have appealed to the government to halt the operation, which they said, will result in collateral damage for the tribals.
“Innocents get trampled upon and disaffection spreads, things turn counter-productive,” they appealed.
As the security forces launch Operation Green Hunt, intelligence agencies have warned the government that armed Naxalites were ready with their offensive, including abductions of officials, in response to the first security thrust into their strongholds.
Intelligence inputs reaching from different parts of the State, suggest that a large number of Naxal cadres have deserted their bases to melt away into urban anonymity.
Soren keeps fingers crossed
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The launch of Operation Green Hunt in parts of Jharkhand has left Chief Minister Shibu Soren a worried man. His obvious cause of concern is the after-effects of the operation.
"Bullet is no means to solve the problem. I hope the operation in these areas will be concluded in the coming five to 10 days and normal life will resume very soon," Soren was quoted as saying on Saturday evening.
"Although, Soren formally joined the league of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram but he is still apprehensive about the collateral damage that might result in the coming days," a well-placed source close to Soren said while speaking to The Pioneer.
The source said that Soren could share this concern with the Central Government so that the operation was planned in such a manner to ensure that the lives of innocent tribals was not affected during the operation.
His concern has compounded following the restriction imposed on the local tribals to move inside the forest area to collect firewood to sustain their life. Requisite security forces have been deployed at the water bodies to snap the Maoists' water supply which has also hit the tribals as they also collect water from these places.
"Mundas (local tribal heads) of the area have been asked not to send their men into the jungle. You may say that the Forest Right Act has just been replaced by Green Hunt. And if the operation continues for a longer period it will jeopardise the livelihood of the local tribal populace," he said revealing the concern of Soren
These are some of the critical issues that Soren fears might affect his core tribal following.
But the DIG, CRPF, Alok Raj has disputed that any such order has been passed to stop tribals from moving in the forest area. "See, forest is the natural habitat of the tribals. It is their home. How can we drive them out…it is an operation against armed Naxalites who have long waged violence as the central instrument."
The operation has just been launched in Ghatsila, Khunti and other areas where thousands of paramilitary forces have joined the operation. The operation is in the first phase where the security forces has been following 'strike and come back, don't wait to be struck, blow before you are blown' strategy.
Maoists too seem to have emulated Philippines models: Strike and run. Fight against the armed Naxalites: The first round went to the security forces. It nabbed some of the key Maoist leaders and cache of arms and ammunition.
The source said that Soren was worried for the second and the next round of operation when the security forces will deal with Naxalites and their sympathisers in the villages.
"We are yet to reach this level, and, then will come the tedious job to identify a forced sympathiser and those who ideologically support the Maoists…it is not a war, it is an operation. But that will be the most critical stage," said a senior police officer.
With every ground shift Soren's concern is growing. He does not know which side the tribals stand as each considers the other as the enemy.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The launch of Operation Green Hunt in parts of Jharkhand has left Chief Minister Shibu Soren a worried man. His obvious cause of concern is the after-effects of the operation.
"Bullet is no means to solve the problem. I hope the operation in these areas will be concluded in the coming five to 10 days and normal life will resume very soon," Soren was quoted as saying on Saturday evening.
"Although, Soren formally joined the league of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram but he is still apprehensive about the collateral damage that might result in the coming days," a well-placed source close to Soren said while speaking to The Pioneer.
The source said that Soren could share this concern with the Central Government so that the operation was planned in such a manner to ensure that the lives of innocent tribals was not affected during the operation.
His concern has compounded following the restriction imposed on the local tribals to move inside the forest area to collect firewood to sustain their life. Requisite security forces have been deployed at the water bodies to snap the Maoists' water supply which has also hit the tribals as they also collect water from these places.
"Mundas (local tribal heads) of the area have been asked not to send their men into the jungle. You may say that the Forest Right Act has just been replaced by Green Hunt. And if the operation continues for a longer period it will jeopardise the livelihood of the local tribal populace," he said revealing the concern of Soren
These are some of the critical issues that Soren fears might affect his core tribal following.
But the DIG, CRPF, Alok Raj has disputed that any such order has been passed to stop tribals from moving in the forest area. "See, forest is the natural habitat of the tribals. It is their home. How can we drive them out…it is an operation against armed Naxalites who have long waged violence as the central instrument."
The operation has just been launched in Ghatsila, Khunti and other areas where thousands of paramilitary forces have joined the operation. The operation is in the first phase where the security forces has been following 'strike and come back, don't wait to be struck, blow before you are blown' strategy.
Maoists too seem to have emulated Philippines models: Strike and run. Fight against the armed Naxalites: The first round went to the security forces. It nabbed some of the key Maoist leaders and cache of arms and ammunition.
The source said that Soren was worried for the second and the next round of operation when the security forces will deal with Naxalites and their sympathisers in the villages.
"We are yet to reach this level, and, then will come the tedious job to identify a forced sympathiser and those who ideologically support the Maoists…it is not a war, it is an operation. But that will be the most critical stage," said a senior police officer.
With every ground shift Soren's concern is growing. He does not know which side the tribals stand as each considers the other as the enemy.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Centre didn't take State into confidence before launch of Op'
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Monday 15 March
Front Page National
Chief Minister Shibu Soren has bluntly said that the Jharkhand Government was not taken into confidence before the launch of `Operation Green Hunt' in the State.
"Centre wale apne tarike se kar rahe hai. Sarkar se koi khaas baat to nahi hui (Centre has been doing in its own fashion. No specific talk was held with the State Government)," Soren affirmed.
It is before the security forces to assess the success of the first phase of the operation and shift the ground for the second, Soren put the motion in the reverse gear.
The Chief Minister contradicted two of his statements given on two different occasions earlier: one, during the meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on February 24; second on March 8 during the Assembly session which discussed the anti-Maoist operation.
Even the Union Home Minister had said: "Jharkhand Chief Minister has been on the same page with the Centre," over tackling the Naxal menace. In an interview given to the BBC World Service, Soren had said: "We wanted them (strategists) to be in our touch. We could have helped them a lot.But they are doing according to their wisdom."
At a time when the security forces claimed to have dominated key Maoist areas; Soren indicated that he was least interested in the operation and less informed about its progress. "Why to offer suggestion when not asked for? Though, we are offering all supports to the forces in the operation...but the State was not taken in confidence," Soren said.
The Union Home Ministry expressed surprise over the volte-face of Soren. A senior Home Ministry official in-charge of the anti-Naxal operation on the condition of anonymity said that the operation was launched only after due deliberation with the CM and senior officials of Jharkhand.
"Where is the confusion? They held meetings with the Home Minister many times, one in New Delhi and another in Kolkata? It is an operation planned to be carried in different States. And any such operation cannot be carried, paramilitary forces cannot be deployed and flush out operation cannot be conducted without the support of the State Government. Everything was informed and discussed in advance," the official said.
Soren seems to be against of pure military type operation and thought: "They will involve local people for the solution and the solution cannot be achieved through bullet. They are not doing."
To him: "Locals have more knowledge of the socio-geographic contours of the area" that the security forces have been asked to dominate.
Soren apprehends collateral damages to Tribals if the operation is stretched for a longer duration. Insiders close to Soren said that he was wary of the prospects of mass migration of the tribals from the area under operation if it carried for a longer duration. It might trigger unrest in the State.
Knowing that it is now tough to ask the functioning boots to return to the barracks, the JMM insiders suggested taking this `mild caveat' in the larger context yet to be unfolded.
"It could probably restrain the security forces to unleash terror on the Tribals during the operation which has come on a wrong time. Soren has to contest the by-election. His pro-tribal image during the election depends upon the degree of restrain of the security forces in the operation," a senior party leader put the thing.
A week back Operation Green Hunt was launched in some of the parts of Jharkhand --Ghatsila, Chaibasa, Khunti, Arki and a few others, but now Soren is not on the same page with PC over Operation Green.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Monday 15 March
Front Page National
Chief Minister Shibu Soren has bluntly said that the Jharkhand Government was not taken into confidence before the launch of `Operation Green Hunt' in the State.
"Centre wale apne tarike se kar rahe hai. Sarkar se koi khaas baat to nahi hui (Centre has been doing in its own fashion. No specific talk was held with the State Government)," Soren affirmed.
It is before the security forces to assess the success of the first phase of the operation and shift the ground for the second, Soren put the motion in the reverse gear.
The Chief Minister contradicted two of his statements given on two different occasions earlier: one, during the meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on February 24; second on March 8 during the Assembly session which discussed the anti-Maoist operation.
Even the Union Home Minister had said: "Jharkhand Chief Minister has been on the same page with the Centre," over tackling the Naxal menace. In an interview given to the BBC World Service, Soren had said: "We wanted them (strategists) to be in our touch. We could have helped them a lot.But they are doing according to their wisdom."
At a time when the security forces claimed to have dominated key Maoist areas; Soren indicated that he was least interested in the operation and less informed about its progress. "Why to offer suggestion when not asked for? Though, we are offering all supports to the forces in the operation...but the State was not taken in confidence," Soren said.
The Union Home Ministry expressed surprise over the volte-face of Soren. A senior Home Ministry official in-charge of the anti-Naxal operation on the condition of anonymity said that the operation was launched only after due deliberation with the CM and senior officials of Jharkhand.
"Where is the confusion? They held meetings with the Home Minister many times, one in New Delhi and another in Kolkata? It is an operation planned to be carried in different States. And any such operation cannot be carried, paramilitary forces cannot be deployed and flush out operation cannot be conducted without the support of the State Government. Everything was informed and discussed in advance," the official said.
Soren seems to be against of pure military type operation and thought: "They will involve local people for the solution and the solution cannot be achieved through bullet. They are not doing."
To him: "Locals have more knowledge of the socio-geographic contours of the area" that the security forces have been asked to dominate.
Soren apprehends collateral damages to Tribals if the operation is stretched for a longer duration. Insiders close to Soren said that he was wary of the prospects of mass migration of the tribals from the area under operation if it carried for a longer duration. It might trigger unrest in the State.
Knowing that it is now tough to ask the functioning boots to return to the barracks, the JMM insiders suggested taking this `mild caveat' in the larger context yet to be unfolded.
"It could probably restrain the security forces to unleash terror on the Tribals during the operation which has come on a wrong time. Soren has to contest the by-election. His pro-tribal image during the election depends upon the degree of restrain of the security forces in the operation," a senior party leader put the thing.
A week back Operation Green Hunt was launched in some of the parts of Jharkhand --Ghatsila, Chaibasa, Khunti, Arki and a few others, but now Soren is not on the same page with PC over Operation Green.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Top cops discuss Green Hunt strategy
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi/Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Friday, February 5, 2010
The top brasses of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police held a crucial meeting on Thursday to draft a joint action plan against Maoists under the Operation Green.
The State Police exchanged dossiers and classified documents of the movements and the activities of Naxals in Jharkhand.
The meeting was attended by the CRPF special director-general (DG) and incharge of the anti-Naxalite task force Vijay Raman, Jharkhand DGP Neyaz Ahmed, IG Operation DK Pandey and CRPF DIG Alok Raj.
"We have discussed the topography of Jharkhand. We do not want to lose even a single life of our jawan during the operation," Raman said to the media.
The Centre will convene another meeting with the Chief Ministers of Naxal-hit States like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal on February 9 in Kolkata to accentuate the biggest offensive against Naxalites in post-independent era.
"The meeting was for the purpose to draw a strategy for a coordinated effort against Naxalites with the help of the Jharkhand Police. We (CRPF) have a long-term commitment with the State Government to help them to smoke out red ultras. It is the beginning of the Operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand," Alok Raj told The Pioneer.
However, Raj refused to give any timeline for the operation to start but it is evident that the CRPF and the State Police are on their way to dominate the area.
Well-placed sources said that the Operation Commander was briefed about the major pockets of Naxals' concentration and the area known as liberated zone under Maoist's lexicons. "He (Raman) had been there to assess the preparation of the State Police and the terrain where the battle will be actually fought. He was provided with detailed intelligence inputs about Naxals and the areas which suffered the backlash of Naxal violence," a senior police official said.
Sharing of real time intelligence was another thing that the top cops discussed during the meeting. Sources confided about the plan of the Central Government to work out a centralised unit to gather and analyse intelligence reports gathered from the different part of Naxal-hit States.
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi/Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Friday, February 5, 2010
The top brasses of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police held a crucial meeting on Thursday to draft a joint action plan against Maoists under the Operation Green.
The State Police exchanged dossiers and classified documents of the movements and the activities of Naxals in Jharkhand.
The meeting was attended by the CRPF special director-general (DG) and incharge of the anti-Naxalite task force Vijay Raman, Jharkhand DGP Neyaz Ahmed, IG Operation DK Pandey and CRPF DIG Alok Raj.
"We have discussed the topography of Jharkhand. We do not want to lose even a single life of our jawan during the operation," Raman said to the media.
The Centre will convene another meeting with the Chief Ministers of Naxal-hit States like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal on February 9 in Kolkata to accentuate the biggest offensive against Naxalites in post-independent era.
"The meeting was for the purpose to draw a strategy for a coordinated effort against Naxalites with the help of the Jharkhand Police. We (CRPF) have a long-term commitment with the State Government to help them to smoke out red ultras. It is the beginning of the Operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand," Alok Raj told The Pioneer.
However, Raj refused to give any timeline for the operation to start but it is evident that the CRPF and the State Police are on their way to dominate the area.
Well-placed sources said that the Operation Commander was briefed about the major pockets of Naxals' concentration and the area known as liberated zone under Maoist's lexicons. "He (Raman) had been there to assess the preparation of the State Police and the terrain where the battle will be actually fought. He was provided with detailed intelligence inputs about Naxals and the areas which suffered the backlash of Naxal violence," a senior police official said.
Sharing of real time intelligence was another thing that the top cops discussed during the meeting. Sources confided about the plan of the Central Government to work out a centralised unit to gather and analyse intelligence reports gathered from the different part of Naxal-hit States.
Mozart of Jharkhand can’t afford ‘grand’ piano
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Saturday, February 6, 2010
Even in a small town like Ranchi people have a passion for the majestic piano and they have notched a mark for themselves.
If it requires a proof one can find it on the fine prints of the results of music examination in piano held in the month of August last year in Kolkata. Seven children of various schools of Ranchi took the examination in piano and all passed with distinction.
Out of the seven, one Mabel Kujur topped Kolkata centre and was awarded with a trophy. Remarkably the examinations were held by prestigious Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, whose patron and president are the Queen of England and Prince of Wales respectively.
But then finding a teacher to learn piano is not easy. “I am the only person who teaches piano in Ranchi,” Rajdeep Singh said. Most certainly he is the only teacher in Jharkhand who teaches piano. Interestingly, there are 55 children in his waiting list who want training under his tutelage.
“At a time I can enroll only 20 students and devote one hour to each; five days a week. Lots of people approach me for this. But I am not in the position to enrol more than 14 students,” he said. It is because of his strong belief: “commercialisation of art and music is a sin.”
Rajdeep Singh is the concert of music and passion in toto. Unadulterated by the commercialisation of the music, he refuses to draw himself in the race where melody turns into shrill.
Although, it could have fetched a lot of money and fame for him but he prefers to stay in his small accommodation where he teaches students piano.
“It is for art sake. Music is my passion and I have been doing it from the day when I landed in Ranchi in 2002 to finally settle here,” he says.
But availing a ‘grand piano’ must be an elitist enterprise. Neither his small accommodation can accommodate bulky grand piano nor his pocket would allow him to get this.
“I train them on the electronic piano as the maintenance of the grand piano is not possible in Ranchi. But the electronic version has all the qualities that the grand has,” he said.
He teaches his students each musical notes very beautifully. His effort paid handsomely when his seven students out of 14 passed the prestigious music examination in piano.
‘Wonderful tonight’ of Eric Clapton, soothing musical notes of other great pianists and some of his wonderful compositions are perhaps the best musical landmarks to locate his address: House of Ela Singh, Naya Tola, Ranchi.
One will find him fast strumming keys of pianos playing some beautiful compositions, “often close to my heart,” he says, along with his students.
And on every fine morning of Sunday, one can find him at the service of the God playing pipe organ at St Paul Cathedral. Even having no formal education in music and timbre he thinks it was God’s ordain which brought him in this field.
When he is fast approaching the wrong side of 60, he remembers his days in Sherwood College during 1967-71 where he met J Thompson, who taught him piano.
“I had no formal education in music. Even today you inquire from me about the theoretical part of the music I will not be able to answer,” Singh admits.
But, then his lone album “Holy Night” containing 13 Christmas Carol embedded in capriccio creates auditory illusion.
Maoists call for bandh against Op Green Hunt
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi / Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Sunday, February 7, 2010
Close on the heels of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s anti-Naxal meeting in Kolkata on February 9, the CPI (Maoists) have given a call for a 72-hour bandh starting from Sunday, across five States — Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal — against Operation Green Hunt. Jharkhand has been put on high alert.
Meanwhile Maoist leader Koteswar Rao aka Kishenji who is second-in-command alleged that innocent tribals were being harassed and arrested in the name of Operation Green Hunt.
He asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren to abstain from attending the meeting of the Chief Ministers of four States for anti-Naxal operation scheduled to be held in Kolkata on February 9. “If Soren poses himself as the people’s Chief Minister then he should abstain from attending the meeting which is loaded with anti-people agenda,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Kishenji refuted the charges that the Maoists were not ready to hold negotiations with the Government. “You can not do it by pointing a gun and by terrorising people. We are ready to hold negotiations but before it the Centre will have to stop harassing and terrorising innocent people in the name of Operation Green Hunt,” he said.
Intensifying the operation against Naxalites the district police of West Singhbhum in a joint operation with paramilitary forces on Saturday busted a training camp of suspected Maoists. During the operation the police destroyed several transit camps and hideouts, Shabhu Kumar, ASP, operations, West Singhbhum Police claimed.
The district police was on a regular combining operation when the incident took place at Nawagaon in West Singhbhum situated close to the border with Orissa.
The operation was carried out in areas under Gorailkela police station and Bangaon police station in the district.
The joint team during the combing operation spotted a training camp. The police claimed they busted it after a fierce encounter which lasted for an hour, and seized arms cache, uniforms and Naxal literature. No casualty was reported from either side.
Confirming this report DK Pandey IG Operations Jharkhand Police said that it was the largest training camp of Naxalites which can accommodate nearly 300 people for the training. The police also recovered cooked food for nearly 60 Maoist cadre during the operation. “We raided the area only after having convincing reports about the presence of Naxalites in the camp. It is really a major achievement for the police in its fight against the Naxalites,” he said.
The Khunti district police along with CRPF personnel also carried a joint search operation in Rania, confirmed Khunti SP AV Minz. The area is known to be a bastion of Red rebels. In the light of the call for bandh, the Khunti Police have deployed additional forces of the CRPF on a 25 km stretch of the sensitive Khunti-Arki road which is known for the heavy presence of Naxals on its flanks.
Meanwhile the State police have made elaborate security arrangements to meet any challenge during the bandh. Sources in the department claimed that the State police were in regular touch with other State Governments for effective manning of the border areas.
On being asked about the nature of deployment of forces in sensitive areas a senior police official said: “The entire State is sensitive. You cannot have categories like a safe Jharkhand and unsafe Jharkhand. But now we have enough numbers of paramilitary forces to give the Maoists a befitting reply.”
The CRPF, recently shifted a Tripura based battalion to Tamar in Ranchi district to reinforce the 66 battalions of the Central paramilitary forces deployed in the State.
There are five units of Cobra (Commando Battalions for Resolute Action), stationed in Barhi in Hazaribagh. The unit is on the move to familiarise itself with the area especially to Kiriburu in West Singhbhum. Air surveillance will be resorted to keep tab over the movements of Naxalites, official said.
BJP pitches price war against Cong
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Monday, February 8, 2010
A day after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held meeting with the Chief Ministers over price hike in New Delhi, the BJP put out its gloves off and delivered punch on the nose of the Congress at a public rally in Ranchi on Sunday.
“Manmohan Singh’s meeting and his proposal to form the group of the Chief Ministers to control price hike are an attempt to divert the attention of the people for the price hike,” the BJP National General Secretary Mukthar Abbas Naqvi addressed the people during a rally at Harmu Ground on Sunday.
It was a motley crowd of nearly ten thousand which had trekked from different parts of Jharkhand despite a call for 72 hour bandh given by the CPI (Maoist) starting from Sunday
Naqvi accused the Union Agriculture Minister for his irresponsible statements. “Now, Pawar has been advising people to reduce the consumption of sugar and cereals. Why does not he distribute poison to the poor so that they finally get rid of pain and hunger,” he said.
Naqvi continued to tirade the Congress and hit hard at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
“The only thing that mother and son can do is the promise to write letter to Manmohan Singh to control the price. There job is over,” he said and reminded that he was reminding the Congress not to further aggravate the agony of the people.
People of Jharkhand have been facing scarcity of the LPG gas. Naqvi termed artificial and blamed the Central Congress government for creating scarcity. “It is because the people of Jharkhand rejected the Congress in the Parliamentary and assembly election and the Congress wants to teach the people a lesson,” he said.
Addressing anti-price hike rally the deputy chief minister and former BJP president Raghuwar Das announced to exempt some of the essential food commodities from the perview of Value Added Tax. Blaming the wrong economic policy of the Congress government he alleged that both Prime Minister and Pawar have failed to control the price hike.
The BJP MP from Jamshedpur Arjun Munda announced the party would raise the issue of price hike during the session of the parliament in the coming days.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Monday, February 8, 2010
A day after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held meeting with the Chief Ministers over price hike in New Delhi, the BJP put out its gloves off and delivered punch on the nose of the Congress at a public rally in Ranchi on Sunday.
“Manmohan Singh’s meeting and his proposal to form the group of the Chief Ministers to control price hike are an attempt to divert the attention of the people for the price hike,” the BJP National General Secretary Mukthar Abbas Naqvi addressed the people during a rally at Harmu Ground on Sunday.
It was a motley crowd of nearly ten thousand which had trekked from different parts of Jharkhand despite a call for 72 hour bandh given by the CPI (Maoist) starting from Sunday
Naqvi accused the Union Agriculture Minister for his irresponsible statements. “Now, Pawar has been advising people to reduce the consumption of sugar and cereals. Why does not he distribute poison to the poor so that they finally get rid of pain and hunger,” he said.
Naqvi continued to tirade the Congress and hit hard at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
“The only thing that mother and son can do is the promise to write letter to Manmohan Singh to control the price. There job is over,” he said and reminded that he was reminding the Congress not to further aggravate the agony of the people.
People of Jharkhand have been facing scarcity of the LPG gas. Naqvi termed artificial and blamed the Central Congress government for creating scarcity. “It is because the people of Jharkhand rejected the Congress in the Parliamentary and assembly election and the Congress wants to teach the people a lesson,” he said.
Addressing anti-price hike rally the deputy chief minister and former BJP president Raghuwar Das announced to exempt some of the essential food commodities from the perview of Value Added Tax. Blaming the wrong economic policy of the Congress government he alleged that both Prime Minister and Pawar have failed to control the price hike.
The BJP MP from Jamshedpur Arjun Munda announced the party would raise the issue of price hike during the session of the parliament in the coming days.
Rail track blown up in West Singhbhum
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi/Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Tuesday, February 9, 2010
On the second day of 72-hour bandh called by the CPI(Maoist), the suspected ultras blew up about three metres of railway track between Bhalulata and Jareikela in West Singhbhum under Chakradharpur Railway Division on the wee hours of Monday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shibu Soren is all set to attend anti-Naxal meeting of Chief Ministers of four States scheduled to be held in Kolkata on Tuesday. The meeting has been called by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to fine-tune Operation Green Hunt.
Two bogies of a goods train derailed and down-line track linking Howrah to Mumbai route remained disrupted. However, no injury or casualty was reported. Maoists had used the can bomb to blow the track. The anti-bomb squad later recovered a can bomb planted on the up-line of the route.
Officials of Chakradharpur Railway Division said that several trains on the Howrah-Mumbai route were held up at different stations for several hours. It includes Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express (down) at Rajkharsawan and Howrah-Korapur Sambleshwari Express at
Sinni for about 6 hours. Tata-Nagpur Passenger train was cancelled along with Tata-Badampahar; Tata-Bilaspur train was terminated at Rourkela. Several other trains plying on the Howrah-Mumbai route, including Howrah-Mumbai Geetanjali Express, ran late for about five hours.
Appeared resolute to give Naxalites befitting reply, Chief Minister Shibu Soren dropped thick indication of the plan of the State Government to raise special battalion to counter Naxal menace.
The Government has planned to raise a battalion of retired army personnel, including technicians, engineers and jawans to execute development work in Maoist-affected rural areas of the State.
Soren, who spoke on the sideline of the conclave of the Chief Ministers called to review internal security of the country, said that special battalion will be raised and the State police machinery will be strengthen.
Meanwhile, CPI(Maoist) leader and second in-command Koteswar Rao, alias Kishenji, who had asked Soren not to join February 9 meeting of the Chief Ministers of four States over anti-Naxal operation is reported to have said that Soren is not interested to hold negotiation.
"We are ready for that but he (Soren) is not willing to negotiate our genuine demands. There seems to be no point to hold discussion after Soren has made his mind known to join the Operation Green Hunt," he said.
The bandh has been called to protest the decision of the Central Government to launch Operation Green Hunt in the Naxal-hit States. Kishenji reworded what he had said earlier about the operation "an instrument to harass innocent people and tribals who are fighting for their right."
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi/Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Tuesday, February 9, 2010
On the second day of 72-hour bandh called by the CPI(Maoist), the suspected ultras blew up about three metres of railway track between Bhalulata and Jareikela in West Singhbhum under Chakradharpur Railway Division on the wee hours of Monday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shibu Soren is all set to attend anti-Naxal meeting of Chief Ministers of four States scheduled to be held in Kolkata on Tuesday. The meeting has been called by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to fine-tune Operation Green Hunt.
Two bogies of a goods train derailed and down-line track linking Howrah to Mumbai route remained disrupted. However, no injury or casualty was reported. Maoists had used the can bomb to blow the track. The anti-bomb squad later recovered a can bomb planted on the up-line of the route.
Officials of Chakradharpur Railway Division said that several trains on the Howrah-Mumbai route were held up at different stations for several hours. It includes Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express (down) at Rajkharsawan and Howrah-Korapur Sambleshwari Express at
Sinni for about 6 hours. Tata-Nagpur Passenger train was cancelled along with Tata-Badampahar; Tata-Bilaspur train was terminated at Rourkela. Several other trains plying on the Howrah-Mumbai route, including Howrah-Mumbai Geetanjali Express, ran late for about five hours.
Appeared resolute to give Naxalites befitting reply, Chief Minister Shibu Soren dropped thick indication of the plan of the State Government to raise special battalion to counter Naxal menace.
The Government has planned to raise a battalion of retired army personnel, including technicians, engineers and jawans to execute development work in Maoist-affected rural areas of the State.
Soren, who spoke on the sideline of the conclave of the Chief Ministers called to review internal security of the country, said that special battalion will be raised and the State police machinery will be strengthen.
Meanwhile, CPI(Maoist) leader and second in-command Koteswar Rao, alias Kishenji, who had asked Soren not to join February 9 meeting of the Chief Ministers of four States over anti-Naxal operation is reported to have said that Soren is not interested to hold negotiation.
"We are ready for that but he (Soren) is not willing to negotiate our genuine demands. There seems to be no point to hold discussion after Soren has made his mind known to join the Operation Green Hunt," he said.
The bandh has been called to protest the decision of the Central Government to launch Operation Green Hunt in the Naxal-hit States. Kishenji reworded what he had said earlier about the operation "an instrument to harass innocent people and tribals who are fighting for their right."
BJP dichotomy: Protest in Delhi; VAT hike in State
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Thursday, February 11, 2010
The BJP in the Opposition in New Delhi and the BJP in the power in Jharkhand thinks differently when it comes to price hike and aam admi.
The BJP national president, Nitin Gandkari, has announced to organise demonstration in front of Parliament to expose the Central Government’s inaction in arresting the price hike of essential goods.
In Jharkhand, the State Government with the BJP as a key ally and Raghuwar Das of the BJP as the Finance Minister decided to put extra load on the aam admi by increasing Value Added Tax on diesel in Jharkhand.
The decision of the State Government to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) of diesel from 14.50 per cent to 20 per cent has irked the petroleum dealers.
After the decision taken by the Cabinet on Wednesday there will be an increase in the current price of diesel by a minimum of Rs 1.50 to Rs 1.75.
A delegation of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister Shibu Soren and the deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das to rollback the decision.
Addressing a press conference the president of the association Askoka Singh termed the decision illogical and anti-people.
“While in New Delhi the BJP national president Nitin Gadkari has been announcing to gherao Indian Parliament to protest against the inability of the Central government to arrest price hike they are doing opposite in Jharkhand,” Singh said.
Stating that after the State Government decided an addition of 4.50 per cent of VAT on the diesel the price of the essential things will increase.
Singh said that the decision will also hamper the business of the petroleum product in Jharkhand if the decision is implemented. “Nobody will like to do trade with us because of the exorbitant tax in comparison to other neighbouring states of Jharkhand.
For instance it is 17 per cent in West Bengal and an additional cess of Rs one. In Bihar and Orissa it is around 18.36 and 18 per cent respectively.
Singh said that in the past the BJP Government had taken similar decision when Das was the finance minister had increased the taxes from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. The association had waged a protracted campaign to persuade the State Government to roll back the decision. Later on the then Finance Minister Stephen Marandi of the UPA Government decided to reduce the price from 20 to 18 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state Congress had protested the decision of the State Government and termed it as anti-people. “This is BJP hypocrisy. One hand the BJP is planning to raise demonstration in front of the parliament against the price hike, but in Jharkhand they have been putting extra burden on the common man by increasing the price of diesel,” senior Congress leader Alko Kumar Dubey said.
The Congress has announced to protest the decision of the State Government. The party will burn the effigy of the State Government and the Finance Minister Raghuwar Das on Thursday, Dubey informed.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Thursday, February 11, 2010
The BJP in the Opposition in New Delhi and the BJP in the power in Jharkhand thinks differently when it comes to price hike and aam admi.
The BJP national president, Nitin Gandkari, has announced to organise demonstration in front of Parliament to expose the Central Government’s inaction in arresting the price hike of essential goods.
In Jharkhand, the State Government with the BJP as a key ally and Raghuwar Das of the BJP as the Finance Minister decided to put extra load on the aam admi by increasing Value Added Tax on diesel in Jharkhand.
The decision of the State Government to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) of diesel from 14.50 per cent to 20 per cent has irked the petroleum dealers.
After the decision taken by the Cabinet on Wednesday there will be an increase in the current price of diesel by a minimum of Rs 1.50 to Rs 1.75.
A delegation of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister Shibu Soren and the deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das to rollback the decision.
Addressing a press conference the president of the association Askoka Singh termed the decision illogical and anti-people.
“While in New Delhi the BJP national president Nitin Gadkari has been announcing to gherao Indian Parliament to protest against the inability of the Central government to arrest price hike they are doing opposite in Jharkhand,” Singh said.
Stating that after the State Government decided an addition of 4.50 per cent of VAT on the diesel the price of the essential things will increase.
Singh said that the decision will also hamper the business of the petroleum product in Jharkhand if the decision is implemented. “Nobody will like to do trade with us because of the exorbitant tax in comparison to other neighbouring states of Jharkhand.
For instance it is 17 per cent in West Bengal and an additional cess of Rs one. In Bihar and Orissa it is around 18.36 and 18 per cent respectively.
Singh said that in the past the BJP Government had taken similar decision when Das was the finance minister had increased the taxes from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. The association had waged a protracted campaign to persuade the State Government to roll back the decision. Later on the then Finance Minister Stephen Marandi of the UPA Government decided to reduce the price from 20 to 18 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state Congress had protested the decision of the State Government and termed it as anti-people. “This is BJP hypocrisy. One hand the BJP is planning to raise demonstration in front of the parliament against the price hike, but in Jharkhand they have been putting extra burden on the common man by increasing the price of diesel,” senior Congress leader Alko Kumar Dubey said.
The Congress has announced to protest the decision of the State Government. The party will burn the effigy of the State Government and the Finance Minister Raghuwar Das on Thursday, Dubey informed.
Soren’s security causes distress for the poor
Vijay Deo Jha/Joy Sengupta | Ranchi
RANCHI | Sunday, February 14, 2010
Chief Minister's security issues has just resulted in despair for atleast six to seven families.
The district administration, citing security reasons have removed a group of small shopkeepers who used to earn a living by selling tea and snacks at one corner, a few meters away from the present Chief Minister's residence.
The higher ups at the district administration say that the shops cannot be allowed to run since it is close to the residence and there could be a security concern.
What surprises is that Soren has been living in the same residence since a long time, even before he was the Chief Minister.
He had blatantly refused to move to the official CM residence in the Kanke Road earlier. The residence has been branded 'unlucky' for all the State CMs as none have been able to complete their full term. Sources said that the CM House was not considered auspicious.
Kailash, who was selling tea in the same place since more than 6 years now said that his hopes were fast dwindling.
"They said that it was a Government-owned land and we could not carry on business here. This shop is the only source of livelihood for my family. I am in the same place since such a long time."
Another shopkeeper, who also sells tea and snacks in the same place said that he had nowhere to go now.
"All our requests went unheard. I had made a small home near my shop where I used to live with my family. Now I don’t know where to go. The biggest question is about earning money now.
These shops offer cheap food which is nothing less than a boon for many including the labourers of the area. With the Ranchi College located in the vicinity, the place is also visited by many students for short meals. Also, each day many people with different grievances come to meet the Chief Minister and these food joints have been very helpful for them.
"We don’t think it is a security issue. These men work so hard for their living. Why should there be a threat at all? Here the food was good and cheap," a student of the college said.
The shopkeepers requested the authorities to let them carry on with their business in the same spot.
When contacted Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, K.K Sone said that the they could not be allowed to run shops at the spot.
"We cannot allow them to run shops there as there is security involved. It is from the security point of view. Moreover, they have been running their business in the Government owned land," he said.
Vijay Deo Jha/Joy Sengupta | Ranchi
RANCHI | Sunday, February 14, 2010
Chief Minister's security issues has just resulted in despair for atleast six to seven families.
The district administration, citing security reasons have removed a group of small shopkeepers who used to earn a living by selling tea and snacks at one corner, a few meters away from the present Chief Minister's residence.
The higher ups at the district administration say that the shops cannot be allowed to run since it is close to the residence and there could be a security concern.
What surprises is that Soren has been living in the same residence since a long time, even before he was the Chief Minister.
He had blatantly refused to move to the official CM residence in the Kanke Road earlier. The residence has been branded 'unlucky' for all the State CMs as none have been able to complete their full term. Sources said that the CM House was not considered auspicious.
Kailash, who was selling tea in the same place since more than 6 years now said that his hopes were fast dwindling.
"They said that it was a Government-owned land and we could not carry on business here. This shop is the only source of livelihood for my family. I am in the same place since such a long time."
Another shopkeeper, who also sells tea and snacks in the same place said that he had nowhere to go now.
"All our requests went unheard. I had made a small home near my shop where I used to live with my family. Now I don’t know where to go. The biggest question is about earning money now.
These shops offer cheap food which is nothing less than a boon for many including the labourers of the area. With the Ranchi College located in the vicinity, the place is also visited by many students for short meals. Also, each day many people with different grievances come to meet the Chief Minister and these food joints have been very helpful for them.
"We don’t think it is a security issue. These men work so hard for their living. Why should there be a threat at all? Here the food was good and cheap," a student of the college said.
The shopkeepers requested the authorities to let them carry on with their business in the same spot.
When contacted Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, K.K Sone said that the they could not be allowed to run shops at the spot.
"We cannot allow them to run shops there as there is security involved. It is from the security point of view. Moreover, they have been running their business in the Government owned land," he said.
IT Dept tightens noose around Koda, conducts nationwide raids
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Income Tax (IT) Department, on Tuesday, conducted raids at nearly 70 places in 13 States of the country in connection with the money laundering of more than Rs 2,500 crore involving former Chief Minister Madhu Koda and Co. The IT Department conducted raids after a gap of more than three months.
Raids were carried on the premises of Manohar Lal Pal; private secretary of the Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren.
The IT team also conducted raids on the premise of members of the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) including SN Choudhary and former chairmen BM Verma, VN Pandey and HB Lal.
Raids continued till late evening. Sources in the IT Department termed the raids as successful. “In comparison with the raids conducted on October 31 last year this time we got clinching evidences of the alleged money laundering and scams in the allocation of mines and rural electrification work in Jharkhand. We have got some more crucial documents and more clinching evidence,” a senior IT officer said requesting anonymity.
The house of retired IAS and former Mines Secretary Jaishankar Tiwari in New Delhi was also raided. Tiwari, was Mines Secretary when Koda was the Chief Minister.
The list included State Pollution Control Board secretary RK Sinha and BB Singh Director Mines. The premises of Sailesh Kumar and Abhisek Rajput in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa were also raided in this connection. Both of them are close associates of Binod Sinha, the right hand of Koda. Sinha has been absconding after similar raids jointly carried by the Income Tax Department and Directorate Enforcement on October 31 last year.
The premises of two other persons Arun Jha and Ajay Jha, close associates of Sinha were raided in Chaibasa.
In Ranchi, a jewellery shop ‘Kuldeep Jewellers’ was raided by the team. Sources in the Department claimed having evidence that a top politician of the State, presently in judicial custody, was the business partner.
Raids were conducted in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Chaibasa, Patna, Pune and other places.
The houses of Manohar Pal, situated at Kanke in Ranchi and Jamshedpur were also raided. Pal whose house was earlier raided by the CBI last year was top on the list for his dubious connection with Rohitas Krishnan; owner of Quantum Powertek. The company is alleged to have committed vast irregularities in rural electrification work. The IT Department has also been investigating the business connection of Pal with ‘Samridhi Sponge Factory’ where his son Tarun Pal is reported to be on the board of directors.
Krishnan is reported to be absconding. In the last Assembly election the company is alleged to have managed the election fund for the candidates of Koda.
An IT official said that Pal had a deep connection in the mega scam of the rural electrification project in Jharkhand. Sources said that some documents and details of the transactions were recovered during the raids.
Pal is alleged to have used his clout for the appointment of HB Lal as the chairman of JSEB, at the stance of Krishnan, after Soren became the Chief Minister in 2008.
During the raids the IT Department seized vital documents at the premises of these JSEC members indicating fraud in rural electrification work, sources claimed. The IT Department is reported to have raided the premise of a company involved in rural electrification work.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
RANCHI | Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Income Tax (IT) Department, on Tuesday, conducted raids at nearly 70 places in 13 States of the country in connection with the money laundering of more than Rs 2,500 crore involving former Chief Minister Madhu Koda and Co. The IT Department conducted raids after a gap of more than three months.
Raids were carried on the premises of Manohar Lal Pal; private secretary of the Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren.
The IT team also conducted raids on the premise of members of the Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) including SN Choudhary and former chairmen BM Verma, VN Pandey and HB Lal.
Raids continued till late evening. Sources in the IT Department termed the raids as successful. “In comparison with the raids conducted on October 31 last year this time we got clinching evidences of the alleged money laundering and scams in the allocation of mines and rural electrification work in Jharkhand. We have got some more crucial documents and more clinching evidence,” a senior IT officer said requesting anonymity.
The house of retired IAS and former Mines Secretary Jaishankar Tiwari in New Delhi was also raided. Tiwari, was Mines Secretary when Koda was the Chief Minister.
The list included State Pollution Control Board secretary RK Sinha and BB Singh Director Mines. The premises of Sailesh Kumar and Abhisek Rajput in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa were also raided in this connection. Both of them are close associates of Binod Sinha, the right hand of Koda. Sinha has been absconding after similar raids jointly carried by the Income Tax Department and Directorate Enforcement on October 31 last year.
The premises of two other persons Arun Jha and Ajay Jha, close associates of Sinha were raided in Chaibasa.
In Ranchi, a jewellery shop ‘Kuldeep Jewellers’ was raided by the team. Sources in the Department claimed having evidence that a top politician of the State, presently in judicial custody, was the business partner.
Raids were conducted in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Chaibasa, Patna, Pune and other places.
The houses of Manohar Pal, situated at Kanke in Ranchi and Jamshedpur were also raided. Pal whose house was earlier raided by the CBI last year was top on the list for his dubious connection with Rohitas Krishnan; owner of Quantum Powertek. The company is alleged to have committed vast irregularities in rural electrification work. The IT Department has also been investigating the business connection of Pal with ‘Samridhi Sponge Factory’ where his son Tarun Pal is reported to be on the board of directors.
Krishnan is reported to be absconding. In the last Assembly election the company is alleged to have managed the election fund for the candidates of Koda.
An IT official said that Pal had a deep connection in the mega scam of the rural electrification project in Jharkhand. Sources said that some documents and details of the transactions were recovered during the raids.
Pal is alleged to have used his clout for the appointment of HB Lal as the chairman of JSEB, at the stance of Krishnan, after Soren became the Chief Minister in 2008.
During the raids the IT Department seized vital documents at the premises of these JSEC members indicating fraud in rural electrification work, sources claimed. The IT Department is reported to have raided the premise of a company involved in rural electrification work.
Govt bows down to Maoists’ deadline
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi/Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Jharkhand Police has decided to suspend operation against Naxals in Ghorabandha in Ghatshila to rescue BDO Prashant Kumar Layek. On Wednesday, the police also moved Ghatsila court requesting to reinvestigate the cases of 14 undertrails whose release was set as a pre-condition by the Maoists for the safe release of Layek.
The police acted on the Naxals’ demand a few hours before the deadline given by Maoists ended on Wednesday evening. “We have moved a step further and are hopeful that Layek will be released very soon. The Government is ready to reopen their cases to see whether cases against them are false or true,” said Ranchi-range IG Police Rezi Dundung.
The court agreed to grant permission for the reinvestigation of nine undertrials out of 14, namely Ashwini Murmu, Luso Baske, Arjun Soren, Sukhram Munda, Kafra Mardi, Basanti Patar, Suraj Murmu, Jasmine Mardi and Bahadur Mardi.
Meanwhile, the police are reported to have released the father of Kanhu Munda, a Naxalite. Addressing the media at SDPO office in Ghatshila, Dundung said that the police will review the cases of undertrails and make sure that justice prevails.
The IGP, who also visited these undertrials in Ghatshila sub jail on Wednesday morning, said that during his investigation he had found that police had not been fair in some cases.
He also went on to inform that the operation against the ultras has been temporarily suspended in Ghoragandha in Ghatshila, however forces have been kept ‘as they were’.
The State Government took the decision after it reportedly decided to open political channel for the negotiation.
Well-placed source in the police confided JMM MLA from Ghatsila Ramdas Soren was asked to hold negotiation with the banned outfit CPI(Maoist).
The decision, source said, was taken both at political and administrative levels the day after the BDO was abducted. Although Ramdas Soren refused to comment but added that he was quite concern for the safe release of Layek and he was ready to offer his service if required.
Ramdas is reported to have held at least three rounds of negotiations with the top leaders of the CPI(Maoist) through local operatives. “Political negotiation is one thing. It has nothing to do with what police have been doing against Naxalites. But it is a different case. We have been asked to scale down deployments,” a senior police official said over telephone.
Meanwhile, Maoists allowed the abducted BDO to talk to her wife Juli Bharti over telephone from some undisclosed location. Appealing Maoists to release her husband, she said that her husband was innocent.
Maoists set free abducted BDO
Govt’s assurance does wonders
Vijay Deo Jha / Parvinder Bhat | Gurabandha
FRONT PAGE| NATIONAL| Saturday, February 20, 2010
Shibu Soren wisely opted not to play the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya when it came to accepting the demand of the CPI(Maoist) for a swap.
Seven days of agony of the Layak family ended on a sweet note. Abducted BDO Prashant Kumar Layak was released by the Naxalites on Friday evening under Gurabandha police station in East Singhbhum district.
The Naxalites released him at village Hariyan under Dumaria block of East Singhbhum district in the presence of some mediapersons. Layak was later picked up by the cops and brought to police picket at Ghuda.
Layak, the Dhalbhumgarh BDO, was abducted by the cadre of the CPI(Maoist) on February 13 from his office. The Maoists had demanded the release of 14 Maoist undertrials.
Accordingly, Chief Minister Shibu Soren had held a Press conference a few days back and assured the release of all these people from the jail provided they were innocent. The police on Wednesday moved Ghatsila Court requesting reinvestigation of the cases of these undertrials.
The court agreed to grant permission for reinvestigation of the nine undertrials out of 14, namely Ashwini Murmu, Luso Baske, Arjun Soren, Sukhram Munda, Kafra Mardi, Basanti Patar, Suraj Murmu, Jasmine Mardi and Bahadur Mardi. The police are reported to have released the father of Kanhu Munda, a Naxalite.
“We have released Prashant Kumar Layak from our custody. We had put some demands before the Government, including the release of innocent people who were caught by the State mercenary, read police. The State Government must stop atrocities on the people in the name of Operation Green Hunt…we will act tough if the State Government tries to play some trick once again,” spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Rakeshji said over telephone.
The police claimed that the Maoist set free the BDO under intense pressure of the police and the villagers. “It resulted due to the collective effort of the police. We recovered three motorbikes used by the Maoists to abduct Layak and arrested some key suspects…the Maoists were really under intense pressure as the police came close to them,” Navin Kumar Singh, SP Jamshedpur told mediapersons.
But he accepted that State Government’s initiative and the assurance of justice to the people played well. The candid acceptance of Zonal IG Razi Dungdung that police have committed excesses in some of the cases, further paved the way for negotiations.
The Maoists who had insisted on not less than swapping and even threatened to kill the BDO if the demand was not met by Wednesday last finally accepted the contention of the State Government to follow the legal procedure after Soren had amply made it clear.
Well-placed sources in the Government said the Union Home Ministry gave consent for Soren’s offer for swapping of innocent villagers and minors. But it cautioned the State Government to tread cautiously unlike West Bengal Government.
“Under the deal clinched both at official and unofficial level with the Maoists,” sources said, “the State Government has given assurance that the police will keep restraint in the coming days.
Govt’s assurance does wonders
Vijay Deo Jha / Parvinder Bhat | Gurabandha
FRONT PAGE| NATIONAL| Saturday, February 20, 2010
Shibu Soren wisely opted not to play the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya when it came to accepting the demand of the CPI(Maoist) for a swap.
Seven days of agony of the Layak family ended on a sweet note. Abducted BDO Prashant Kumar Layak was released by the Naxalites on Friday evening under Gurabandha police station in East Singhbhum district.
The Naxalites released him at village Hariyan under Dumaria block of East Singhbhum district in the presence of some mediapersons. Layak was later picked up by the cops and brought to police picket at Ghuda.
Layak, the Dhalbhumgarh BDO, was abducted by the cadre of the CPI(Maoist) on February 13 from his office. The Maoists had demanded the release of 14 Maoist undertrials.
Accordingly, Chief Minister Shibu Soren had held a Press conference a few days back and assured the release of all these people from the jail provided they were innocent. The police on Wednesday moved Ghatsila Court requesting reinvestigation of the cases of these undertrials.
The court agreed to grant permission for reinvestigation of the nine undertrials out of 14, namely Ashwini Murmu, Luso Baske, Arjun Soren, Sukhram Munda, Kafra Mardi, Basanti Patar, Suraj Murmu, Jasmine Mardi and Bahadur Mardi. The police are reported to have released the father of Kanhu Munda, a Naxalite.
“We have released Prashant Kumar Layak from our custody. We had put some demands before the Government, including the release of innocent people who were caught by the State mercenary, read police. The State Government must stop atrocities on the people in the name of Operation Green Hunt…we will act tough if the State Government tries to play some trick once again,” spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Rakeshji said over telephone.
The police claimed that the Maoist set free the BDO under intense pressure of the police and the villagers. “It resulted due to the collective effort of the police. We recovered three motorbikes used by the Maoists to abduct Layak and arrested some key suspects…the Maoists were really under intense pressure as the police came close to them,” Navin Kumar Singh, SP Jamshedpur told mediapersons.
But he accepted that State Government’s initiative and the assurance of justice to the people played well. The candid acceptance of Zonal IG Razi Dungdung that police have committed excesses in some of the cases, further paved the way for negotiations.
The Maoists who had insisted on not less than swapping and even threatened to kill the BDO if the demand was not met by Wednesday last finally accepted the contention of the State Government to follow the legal procedure after Soren had amply made it clear.
Well-placed sources in the Government said the Union Home Ministry gave consent for Soren’s offer for swapping of innocent villagers and minors. But it cautioned the State Government to tread cautiously unlike West Bengal Government.
“Under the deal clinched both at official and unofficial level with the Maoists,” sources said, “the State Government has given assurance that the police will keep restraint in the coming days.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dilemma of different hue, Soren skips Kolkata meeting
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Caught between ‘Red and Green’ Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren chose to land in hospital instead Kolkata where he was scheduled to attend anti-naxal meeting of the Chief Ministers of four naxal hit states on Tuesday.
But the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram who chaired the meeting claimed that Jharkhand chief Minister Shibu Soren is on board as far as anti-Naxal operation in naxal hit states are concerned.
“Jharkhand is well on board, and, do not draw unnecessary inference if Soren did not attend the meeting. He failed to attend the meeting due to health reason. His two deputy chief ministers, chief secretary, DG of the police and other senior officials of the state government have attended the meeting.”
Chidambaram pointed out: “Only ten days back Soren spent two hours with me discussing this issue in New Delhi…intra-state operations against Maoists have already been launched in Jharkhand.”
Chidambaram cleared the mist at a press conference on the sideline of anti-naxal meeting in Kolkata. Chidambaram claimed that Jharkhand Chief Minister shares similar concern about the challenges posed by the CPI (Maoist) and other left extremist wing elements.
“We have made considerable progress…in Jharkhand and Orissa regarding anti-naxal operation. We will continue to do this in a ‘controlled and calibrated measure’ with ‘no collateral damage’ to dominate area under Maoist control to ensure the sway of the civil administration and the flow of development,” he said.
“The progress,” he said, “is slow and steady” which he said can not be measured like a cricket match score board.
The meeting while discussing ‘inter-state operations’ between West Bengal and Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa also took some crucial strategic decisions which will be operational in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Minister explained; Soren was all set to attend the meeting which he could not do after he was admitted in the Apollo Hospital in Ranchi due to the health problem. The Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato participated in the meeting along with other senior officials.
The Public relation Officer of the Apollo Hospital Javed Akhtar informed that Soren who complained of chest pain was admitted in the hospital. “He (Soren) has been put under observation by a team of doctors headed by Dr. Neeraj Kumar,” he informed.
But inferences were quickly drawn. It was widely taken as a deliberate move of Soren to keep the CPI (Maoist) in good humour. Despite this he agreed to join centrally sponsored Operation Green Hunt against Maoists in Jharkhand.
While Soren in home ministry fashion dangled the carrot and stick before the rebels —negotiation or annihilation —a few week back the CPI (Maoist) leader and second-in-command Koteswar Rao aka Kishenji had asked the Chief Minister not to attend Kolkata meeting if he (Soren) was serious about truce.
“If he (Soren) fashions himself as People’s Chief Minister, and, if he is actually serious about negotiation he should not join the meeting,” media had reported Kishenji as saying.
Kishenji had also said that Soren attending the meeting would be deemed by the CPI (Maoist) as the manifestation of the unwillingness of the state government to hold parley.
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Caught between ‘Red and Green’ Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren chose to land in hospital instead Kolkata where he was scheduled to attend anti-naxal meeting of the Chief Ministers of four naxal hit states on Tuesday.
But the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram who chaired the meeting claimed that Jharkhand chief Minister Shibu Soren is on board as far as anti-Naxal operation in naxal hit states are concerned.
“Jharkhand is well on board, and, do not draw unnecessary inference if Soren did not attend the meeting. He failed to attend the meeting due to health reason. His two deputy chief ministers, chief secretary, DG of the police and other senior officials of the state government have attended the meeting.”
Chidambaram pointed out: “Only ten days back Soren spent two hours with me discussing this issue in New Delhi…intra-state operations against Maoists have already been launched in Jharkhand.”
Chidambaram cleared the mist at a press conference on the sideline of anti-naxal meeting in Kolkata. Chidambaram claimed that Jharkhand Chief Minister shares similar concern about the challenges posed by the CPI (Maoist) and other left extremist wing elements.
“We have made considerable progress…in Jharkhand and Orissa regarding anti-naxal operation. We will continue to do this in a ‘controlled and calibrated measure’ with ‘no collateral damage’ to dominate area under Maoist control to ensure the sway of the civil administration and the flow of development,” he said.
“The progress,” he said, “is slow and steady” which he said can not be measured like a cricket match score board.
The meeting while discussing ‘inter-state operations’ between West Bengal and Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa also took some crucial strategic decisions which will be operational in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Minister explained; Soren was all set to attend the meeting which he could not do after he was admitted in the Apollo Hospital in Ranchi due to the health problem. The Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato participated in the meeting along with other senior officials.
The Public relation Officer of the Apollo Hospital Javed Akhtar informed that Soren who complained of chest pain was admitted in the hospital. “He (Soren) has been put under observation by a team of doctors headed by Dr. Neeraj Kumar,” he informed.
But inferences were quickly drawn. It was widely taken as a deliberate move of Soren to keep the CPI (Maoist) in good humour. Despite this he agreed to join centrally sponsored Operation Green Hunt against Maoists in Jharkhand.
While Soren in home ministry fashion dangled the carrot and stick before the rebels —negotiation or annihilation —a few week back the CPI (Maoist) leader and second-in-command Koteswar Rao aka Kishenji had asked the Chief Minister not to attend Kolkata meeting if he (Soren) was serious about truce.
“If he (Soren) fashions himself as People’s Chief Minister, and, if he is actually serious about negotiation he should not join the meeting,” media had reported Kishenji as saying.
Kishenji had also said that Soren attending the meeting would be deemed by the CPI (Maoist) as the manifestation of the unwillingness of the state government to hold parley.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Maoists call for bandh against Op Green Hunt
Vijay Deo Jha/Parvinder Bhatia | Ranchi / Jamshedpur
RANCHI | Sunday, February 7, 2010
Close on the heels of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s anti-Naxal meeting in Kolkata on February 9, the CPI (Maoists) have given a call for a 72-hour bandh starting from Sunday, across five States — Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal — against Operation Green Hunt. Jharkhand has been put on high alert.
Meanwhile Maoist leader Koteswar Rao aka Kishenji who is second-in-command alleged that innocent tribals were being harassed and arrested in the name of Operation Green Hunt.
He asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren to abstain from attending the meeting of the Chief Ministers of four States for anti-Naxal operation scheduled to be held in Kolkata on February 9. “If Soren poses himself as the people’s Chief Minister then he should abstain from attending the meeting which is loaded with anti-people agenda,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Kishenji refuted the charges that the Maoists were not ready to hold negotiations with the Government. “You can not do it by pointing a gun and by terrorising people. We are ready to hold negotiations but before it the Centre will have to stop harassing and terrorising innocent people in the name of Operation Green Hunt,” he said.
Intensifying the operation against Naxalites the district police of West Singhbhum in a joint operation with paramilitary forces on Saturday busted a training camp of suspected Maoists. During the operation the police destroyed several transit camps and hideouts, Shabhu Kumar, ASP, operations, West Singhbhum Police claimed.
The district police was on a regular combining operation when the incident took place at Nawagaon in West Singhbhum situated close to the border with Orissa.
The operation was carried out in areas under Gorailkela police station and Bangaon police station in the district.
The joint team during the combing operation spotted a training camp. The police claimed they busted it after a fierce encounter which lasted for an hour, and seized arms cache, uniforms and Naxal literature. No casualty was reported from either side.
Confirming this report DK Pandey IG Operations Jharkhand Police said that it was the largest training camp of Naxalites which can accommodate nearly 300 people for the training. The police also recovered cooked food for nearly 60 Maoist cadre during the operation. “We raided the area only after having convincing reports about the presence of Naxalites in the camp. It is really a major achievement for the police in its fight against the Naxalites,” he said.
The Khunti district police along with CRPF personnel also carried a joint search operation in Rania, confirmed Khunti SP AV Minz. The area is known to be a bastion of Red rebels. In the light of the call for bandh, the Khunti Police have deployed additional forces of the CRPF on a 25 km stretch of the sensitive Khunti-Arki road which is known for the heavy presence of Naxals on its flanks.
Meanwhile the State police have made elaborate security arrangements to meet any challenge during the bandh. Sources in the department claimed that the State police were in regular touch with other State Governments for effective manning of the border areas.
On being asked about the nature of deployment of forces in sensitive areas a senior police official said: “The entire State is sensitive. You cannot have categories like a safe Jharkhand and unsafe Jharkhand. But now we have enough numbers of paramilitary forces to give the Maoists a befitting reply.”
The CRPF, recently shifted a Tripura based battalion to Tamar in Ranchi district to reinforce the 66 battalions of the Central paramilitary forces deployed in the State.
There are five units of Cobra (Commando Battalions for Resolute Action), stationed in Barhi in Hazaribagh. The unit is on the move to familiarise itself with the area especially to Kiriburu in West Singhbhum. Air surveillance will be resorted to keep tab over the movements of Naxalites, official said.
BJP pitches price war against Cong
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Aday after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held meeting with the Chief Ministers over price hike in New Delhi, the BJP put out its gloves off and delivered punch on the nose of the Congress at a public rally in Ranchi on Sunday.
“Manmohan Singh’s meeting and his proposal to form the group of the Chief Ministers to control price hike are an attempt to divert the attention of the people for the price hike,” the BJP National General Secretary Mukthar Abbas Naqvi addressed the people during a rally at Harmu Ground on Sunday.
It was a motley crowd of nearly ten thousand which had trekked from different parts of Jharkhand despite a call for 72 hour bandh given by the CPI (Maoist) starting from Sunday
Naqvi accused the Union Agriculture Minister for his irresponsible statements. “Now, Pawar has been advising people to reduce the consumption of sugar and cereals. Why does not he distribute poison to the poor so that they finally get rid of pain and hunger,” he said.
Naqvi continued to tirade the Congress and hit hard at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
“The only thing that mother and son can do is the promise to write letter to Manmohan Singh to control the price. There job is over,” he said and reminded that he was reminding the Congress not to further aggravate the agony of the people.
People of Jharkhand have been facing scarcity of the LPG gas. Naqvi termed artificial and blamed the Central Congress government for creating scarcity. “It is because the people of Jharkhand rejected the Congress in the Parliamentary and assembly election and the Congress wants to teach the people a lesson,” he said.
Addressing anti-price hike rally the deputy chief minister and former BJP president Raghuwar Das announced to exempt some of the essential food commodities from the perview of Value Added Tax. Blaming the wrong economic policy of the Congress government he alleged that both Prime Minister and Pawar have failed to control the price hike.
The BJP MP from Jamshedpur Arjun Munda announced the party would raise the issue of price hike during the session of the parliament in the coming days.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Easier to draft, tough to execute Green Hunt
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Pix by Mukesh Bhatt
Police have started a high-voltage PR offensive against Naxalites claiming to wipe out them: it is a prologue to Operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand.
Red rebels reciprocated it with same intensity in form of posters and pamphlets and some time on the web space like one in ajadhind.wordpress.com.
"As Prime Minister stated few months ago that the poverty will be rooted out from the country, we understand that there is an urgent need to eliminate the poor people and operation green hunt is a romantic idea to achieve it."
Those who have fine scripted police pamphlets know that it is easier to draft Operation Green Hunt but it is equally tough to execute it on the ground.
"I am quite optimistic about the success rate of the operation. No doubt para-military forces have been arriving to man strategic posts and many will arrive in the coming days, but, there are several steep degree of difficulties that worries the establishment. " a senior police official said.
For instance Jharkhand can afford only 98 policemen per 100,000 population as under UN norm for minimum police strength against 222 in security-sensitive zone. Though, the former Jharkhand Police DGP VD Ram hesitantly claimed man-police ratio was around 140 when he had demitted the office a month back. Others do not believe it. Reason: the state police force is running in deficiency of around 11000 vacant posts under different cadres which needed to be filled up on an urgent basis.
The state government on Friday last announced to expedite the recruitment. "But that will take another one and half years to turn them into the functioning boot on the grounds," he expressed his reservation.
For instance, there are only one policeman per five square kilometers. And in case of Saranda forest, a liberated Maoist zone, that ratio stands no where: only one policeman per 12 square kilometers.
For instance, the strategists have initially worked out to draft nearly 20 jawans for the frontline and most of them are not familiar with the terrain and people they have been asked to dominate.
For instance, the state government never thought to train the cops in the jungle warfare and the Maoist guerrilla will never engage police and para-military forces on the plain when the real fight will break. Lessons needed to be taken from Chhattisgarh where the Naga Police force despite having expertise in jungle warfare was forced to retreat to its base after three years of operation.
A senior official of the Union Home Ministry tried to assuage the fear by saying: "all the five battalions of the CRPF dispatched to Jharkhand for the operation purposes are specially trained in the jungle warfare."
A senior official of the Union Home Ministry tried to assuage the fear by saying: "all the five battalions of the CRPF dispatched to Jharkhand for the operation purposes are specially trained in the jungle warfare."
For instance, if Jharkhand government ever opened a jungle warfare institute in Netarhat on the line of Chhattisgarh based Kanker institute, the Jharkhand government left it in lurch just after its opening. The institute was specially opened to train the cops in jungle warfare to combat Maoist menace.
For instance, nearly 1200 cops received training from that institute but that was not upto the mark. Where these cops have gone, surely not on the strategic fronts. The state police have no answer to that.
For instance, the institute is running without a head. "I do not know who has been posted there after I left for a new assignment in Dumka," senior IPS officer Natrajan who once headed the institute said. Prashant Singh headed the institute for a couple of months after Natrajan. The institute is running without a head now.
For instance, the security forces will be forced to act in wilderness since the state intelligence agencies have not trained itself in real-time intelligence and the human information network is in a shambles.
Only the last year the central government undertook satellite mapping of the jungle of Jharkhand but the thick jungle bases defied that.
Executing Operation Green Hunt is not an easy undertaking, though.
Executing Operation Green Hunt is not an easy undertaking, though.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Christian MLA grumbles
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Chief Minister Shibu Soren has been accused of not playing Santa for Christians and upper castes during the expansion of his Cabinet.
Out of 12 Ministers in the Cabinet filled-up from the JMM, BJP and AJSU quota except Christian and forward community all social classes have been accommodated very well. It led to a verbal feud in the JMM, which is still in the murmuring phase with the BJP where a score of party leaders are surprised at non-representation of the forward class.
The decision came to an open criticism in the JMM—blunt and bold. “Since I am Christian I was denied a berth in the Cabinet,” senior JMM MLA Simon Marandi said. He went on to paint the JMM as anti-Christian by stating that JMM ousted Stephen Marandi and even denied ticket to a Christian to accommodate Hemlal Murmu in this Assembly election.
BJP MLA Satyanand Jha Batul adopted a mild tone to air his resentment. “I fear it will give other parties an edge over the BJP in Santhal Pargana after upper caste was kept out of Cabinet expansion.”
Meanwhile, the JMM’s trouble shooters have started trying to barricade any steps that Simon Marandi might take in the coming days. Party leader Hemant Soren met Marandi last day at his residence to resolve the dispute.
Senior JMM leaders remained tightlipped and circumspect over the whole issue, but few are convinced that it is not possible for the party to keep everybody happy where all want to be Minister.
It will be for the first time when Christian community found no slot in the Cabinet. Those lobbying for Christian cause received covert support from senior JMM Christian leader Nalin Soren who happened to be to the Agriculture Minister in the past two Governments; denied opportunity this time.
Littipara MLA Marandi obliquely blamed the BJP for the absence of any Christian face in the Ministry. He said it in a different way: “Guruji is playing in the hands of the BJP now.”
The BJP defended that it had any hand behind non-inclusion of any Christian face and said that it was Chief Minister’s prerogative to select his team.
Take a look at the social composition of the Cabinet. Tribal got four berths including that of the Chief Minister. The Schedule Castes got enough representation in form of Umakant Rajak, Sudha Chaudhary and Baidyanath Ram. Two deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Kumar Mahato and two others Chandra Prakash Chaudhary and Mathura Mahato represent dominate OBC class. The JMM picked one Muslim face Haji Hussain Ansari to make the Cabinet a composite one.
But the picture remained half complete since the Cabinet goes beyond the representation of the forward and Christian community having sizable number of voters.
Nevertheless, MLAs belonging to the forward group has no sizable number in both the parties but there are few seats which they managed to retain. Jharia (BJP), Ranchi (BJP), Nala (BJP), Sarath (JMM) and Jamtara (JMM) are the constituencies where Kunti Singh, CP Singh, Satyanand Jha Batul, Sheshank Sekhar Bhokta and Vishu Bahiya won respectively.
A lobby in the BJP complained that the claim of the forward block was ignored during second expansion of the Cabinet. The lobby pointed at Raghuwar Das for allegedly casting caste spine in the BJP after he assumed the post of the party president.
Das faction shook-off the allegation as baseless and referred CP Singh who was elevated form the post of the Speaker. But Singh’s supporters were not content with this ceremonial post. They were keen to see their leader as the Minister.
The JMM did not offer any explanation for non-inclusion of any forward face except saying that Vishu Bhaiya was not physically fit to discharge ministerial responsibility and Bhokta did not figure in the wish list. The Cabinet expansion is over grumblers are still holding meetings.
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Chief Minister Shibu Soren has been accused of not playing Santa for Christians and upper castes during the expansion of his Cabinet.
Out of 12 Ministers in the Cabinet filled-up from the JMM, BJP and AJSU quota except Christian and forward community all social classes have been accommodated very well. It led to a verbal feud in the JMM, which is still in the murmuring phase with the BJP where a score of party leaders are surprised at non-representation of the forward class.
The decision came to an open criticism in the JMM—blunt and bold. “Since I am Christian I was denied a berth in the Cabinet,” senior JMM MLA Simon Marandi said. He went on to paint the JMM as anti-Christian by stating that JMM ousted Stephen Marandi and even denied ticket to a Christian to accommodate Hemlal Murmu in this Assembly election.
BJP MLA Satyanand Jha Batul adopted a mild tone to air his resentment. “I fear it will give other parties an edge over the BJP in Santhal Pargana after upper caste was kept out of Cabinet expansion.”
Meanwhile, the JMM’s trouble shooters have started trying to barricade any steps that Simon Marandi might take in the coming days. Party leader Hemant Soren met Marandi last day at his residence to resolve the dispute.
Senior JMM leaders remained tightlipped and circumspect over the whole issue, but few are convinced that it is not possible for the party to keep everybody happy where all want to be Minister.
It will be for the first time when Christian community found no slot in the Cabinet. Those lobbying for Christian cause received covert support from senior JMM Christian leader Nalin Soren who happened to be to the Agriculture Minister in the past two Governments; denied opportunity this time.
Littipara MLA Marandi obliquely blamed the BJP for the absence of any Christian face in the Ministry. He said it in a different way: “Guruji is playing in the hands of the BJP now.”
The BJP defended that it had any hand behind non-inclusion of any Christian face and said that it was Chief Minister’s prerogative to select his team.
Take a look at the social composition of the Cabinet. Tribal got four berths including that of the Chief Minister. The Schedule Castes got enough representation in form of Umakant Rajak, Sudha Chaudhary and Baidyanath Ram. Two deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Kumar Mahato and two others Chandra Prakash Chaudhary and Mathura Mahato represent dominate OBC class. The JMM picked one Muslim face Haji Hussain Ansari to make the Cabinet a composite one.
But the picture remained half complete since the Cabinet goes beyond the representation of the forward and Christian community having sizable number of voters.
Nevertheless, MLAs belonging to the forward group has no sizable number in both the parties but there are few seats which they managed to retain. Jharia (BJP), Ranchi (BJP), Nala (BJP), Sarath (JMM) and Jamtara (JMM) are the constituencies where Kunti Singh, CP Singh, Satyanand Jha Batul, Sheshank Sekhar Bhokta and Vishu Bahiya won respectively.
A lobby in the BJP complained that the claim of the forward block was ignored during second expansion of the Cabinet. The lobby pointed at Raghuwar Das for allegedly casting caste spine in the BJP after he assumed the post of the party president.
Das faction shook-off the allegation as baseless and referred CP Singh who was elevated form the post of the Speaker. But Singh’s supporters were not content with this ceremonial post. They were keen to see their leader as the Minister.
The JMM did not offer any explanation for non-inclusion of any forward face except saying that Vishu Bhaiya was not physically fit to discharge ministerial responsibility and Bhokta did not figure in the wish list. The Cabinet expansion is over grumblers are still holding meetings.
Soren to discuss Maoist menace with Chidambaram
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Thursday, January 28, 2010
Chief Minister Shibu Soren will hold a crucial meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday on the problem of Naxalism in Jharkhand.
Source said that the State Government was planning to launch a major operation against Maoists once the 34th National Games is over.
"And the same will be conveyed during the meeting. Nothing will happen before the games and during the monsoon period…operations could be held only after that," a senior officer said.
Soren, who left for New Delhi on Wednesday for the discussion, was accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato, and DGP Neyaz Ahmed. Sources in the Union Home Ministry said that the meeting will take stock of requirements of the State Government in tackling Naxal problem.
Chidambaram has two such meetings with the Chief Ministers of the Naxal-hit States in the last one fortnight, where the Central Government has planned to start Operation Green hunt to flush out Maoists.
On last Friday, Chidambaram had held meeting with the Chief Ministers Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra in Raipur. Though the meeting created a controversy as Jharkhand was left out giving a hint that the Centre was not keen to invite Soren due to his reservation about the anti-Maoist operation.
However, the mist was cleared later by Chidambaram, who clarified that the Jharkhand Chief Minister would be called for a meeting, now scheduled for Thursday. "During the meeting, all issues will be discussed with the Jharkhand Government and the State will be involved in the anti-Maoist operations," Chidambaram had told the media.
Soren and his deputies remained tight lipped to ascertain whether the State has finally agreed for a joint operation against red rebels under Operation Green Hunt with its command centre at Raipur. "We will present our side and understand the view of the Home Minister in the meeting," Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das told the media before leaving for New Delhi.
Sources in the State Government confided that the Government is no position to withstand the pressure of the Central Government, which wants the Jharkhand Government to join the joint operation.
"Though law and order fall under State list, but the State
Government is now ready to resume the operation once again; earlier it was started during the President's rule in Jharkhand. But a mounted assault is not possible in the immediate future. It will take at least one year to prepare including strengthening real-time intelligence gathering," a senior official said.
The statements assumes significance in the background of the claim made by Jharkhand DGP Neyaz Ahmed and Home Secretary JB Tubid at a Press conference a few days ago that 75 per cent preparation for the anti-Maoist operation has already been made.
Well-placed source said that the Government could ask the Centre for six more battalions of Central forces for the operation. Currently, there are a total of 11 battalions of Central Reserve Police posted in Jharkhand.
Later, the Centre had moved four battalion of the Boarder Security Force, which was later shifted to Orissa after the pace of the operation was slackened in Jharkhand.
If it is agreed to carry a joint anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand, it is expected to be taken in 10 districts spotted by the Centre under a pilot project. "You need another six to seven additional battalions for the operation, out of which at least one battalion must be trained in the jungle warfare," a security expert cautioned.
Nine companies of CRPF are engaged in the anti-Naxal operation on the border of Lohardaga, Latehar and Gumla. A total of 66 companies of the CRPF are deployed in this task.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/232167/Soren-to-discuss-Maoist-menace-with-Chidambaram.html
http://epaper.dailypioneer.com/ThePioneer/Pioneer/2010/01/28/index.shtml?ArtId=004_014&Search=Y
Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi | Thursday, January 28, 2010
Chief Minister Shibu Soren will hold a crucial meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday on the problem of Naxalism in Jharkhand.
Source said that the State Government was planning to launch a major operation against Maoists once the 34th National Games is over.
"And the same will be conveyed during the meeting. Nothing will happen before the games and during the monsoon period…operations could be held only after that," a senior officer said.
Soren, who left for New Delhi on Wednesday for the discussion, was accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato, and DGP Neyaz Ahmed. Sources in the Union Home Ministry said that the meeting will take stock of requirements of the State Government in tackling Naxal problem.
Chidambaram has two such meetings with the Chief Ministers of the Naxal-hit States in the last one fortnight, where the Central Government has planned to start Operation Green hunt to flush out Maoists.
On last Friday, Chidambaram had held meeting with the Chief Ministers Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra in Raipur. Though the meeting created a controversy as Jharkhand was left out giving a hint that the Centre was not keen to invite Soren due to his reservation about the anti-Maoist operation.
However, the mist was cleared later by Chidambaram, who clarified that the Jharkhand Chief Minister would be called for a meeting, now scheduled for Thursday. "During the meeting, all issues will be discussed with the Jharkhand Government and the State will be involved in the anti-Maoist operations," Chidambaram had told the media.
Soren and his deputies remained tight lipped to ascertain whether the State has finally agreed for a joint operation against red rebels under Operation Green Hunt with its command centre at Raipur. "We will present our side and understand the view of the Home Minister in the meeting," Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das told the media before leaving for New Delhi.
Sources in the State Government confided that the Government is no position to withstand the pressure of the Central Government, which wants the Jharkhand Government to join the joint operation.
"Though law and order fall under State list, but the State
Government is now ready to resume the operation once again; earlier it was started during the President's rule in Jharkhand. But a mounted assault is not possible in the immediate future. It will take at least one year to prepare including strengthening real-time intelligence gathering," a senior official said.
The statements assumes significance in the background of the claim made by Jharkhand DGP Neyaz Ahmed and Home Secretary JB Tubid at a Press conference a few days ago that 75 per cent preparation for the anti-Maoist operation has already been made.
Well-placed source said that the Government could ask the Centre for six more battalions of Central forces for the operation. Currently, there are a total of 11 battalions of Central Reserve Police posted in Jharkhand.
Later, the Centre had moved four battalion of the Boarder Security Force, which was later shifted to Orissa after the pace of the operation was slackened in Jharkhand.
If it is agreed to carry a joint anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand, it is expected to be taken in 10 districts spotted by the Centre under a pilot project. "You need another six to seven additional battalions for the operation, out of which at least one battalion must be trained in the jungle warfare," a security expert cautioned.
Nine companies of CRPF are engaged in the anti-Naxal operation on the border of Lohardaga, Latehar and Gumla. A total of 66 companies of the CRPF are deployed in this task.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/232167/Soren-to-discuss-Maoist-menace-with-Chidambaram.html
http://epaper.dailypioneer.com/ThePioneer/Pioneer/2010/01/28/index.shtml?ArtId=004_014&Search=Y
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