Murder or the case of pure black magic: Aman is no more

Pix by Sanjeev Sameer

Vijay Deo Jha

Ranchi

Like any other child Aman wanted to read in a good school and had thrown his hands around his father Iswari Saw to lodge him to a good hostel; the day he went missing.
The body of six years old Aman was recovered four days later on last Wednesday; badly mutilated — trounced head, ears and tongue chopped and eyes gorged out — just 100 meter away from his paternal house at village Purnadih under Markaccho PO in Koderma district.

Police arrested eight suspects, later on, but his kidnapping and subsequent killing — family members suspected — matched with the script of Hindi movie Sangharsh (1999) where an exorcist kidnaps children for sacrifice to please Goddess Kali to gain black magic.


Police arrested Sitaram Pandit and his wife Indira Devi the lady who allegedly practises witchcraft. Two daughters of the espouses named as santoshi and Sarita Devi and some other relatives and close of Pandit family including Bhagirath Pandit and Vijay Pandit for allegedly hatching plot to kill the boy.


“Two accused Nayan Turia and Ram Pandit whose involvement in this case is suspected are yet to be arrested. They will be arrested within a couple of days. We are conducting raids. Police have booked them under section 366, 302 of IPC,” said SP Koderma, G. Kranti Kumar.


The police have also recorded the statement of an eye witness under section 164, one who claimed to have seen Pandits and their associates while dumping the body in a sack.


“He wanted to join hostel to study in a good school …My innocent son was killed by these people who practise witchcraft. I seek justice for my son,” the father of the son told the Pioneer.


Police remained silent over the reason behind the murder. “Nothing can be said right now. They have confessed having cold blooded killing of the boy. It is first case in Koderma alleged as the case of human sacrifice,” Kumar said.
Before this Saw family received a letter demanding Rs 90000 for the safe release of Aman. “They (unknown people) instructed me to drop the bag of money on a spot very close to me residence. They assured to inform me about where about of my son through another letter. I did the same. But nobody came to pick the money I instantly came to realise that I will not get my son back. I suspected the involvements of my some of my hidden enemies,” Saw said.


The police on the ground of suspicion had detained one Prakash Das. The police did not reveal whether interrogation of Das gave any clue or not but it recovered Aman’s body packed in a sack.


The police later on brought sniffer dog of the CID police for further investigation which led the police to the house of Sitaram Pandit.


Saw who runs stone crushing machine claimed that he had seen Sitaram Pandit and others moving with a stuffed sack. “They strongly suspect, now, that had packed the body of my son. Initially, I thought that they have been packing the used puja material after ten days of Durga Puja festival,” he said.
Bereaved over the death of her youngest son, it is tough for Sunita Devi to control her tears.

“No toy. No sweets. He never demanded anything from us except living in hostel. My son had not taken meal the day he went missing,” Sunita broke down. Aman is one of the baffling cases of missing children, whose body are later found dead.

Bodies of Jharkhand students arrive in Ranchi

Vijay Deo Jha/Joy Sengupta | Ranchi

Friday, March 5, 2010

The shrieks and cries of Gorelal Paswan, an employee of CMPDI, echoed throughout Dhawan Nagar as the coffin carrying the body of his son, Gautam, arrived at his residence on Thursday. Gautam, a student of the Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, died in a road mishap on February 28.

The incident was followed by the police lathi-charge on the protesting students which led to chaos resulting in the death of Sumit Kumar, another university student hailing from Jamshedpur, and two others from Bihar.

Sumit's body arrived too and was taken to Jamshedpur by his relatives. He and the other two students drowned in a canal while trying to escape from the police.

The deaths also rang bells in the Assembly on Thursday with the Opposition asking the State Government to take a serious look over the deaths.

“Now what do I do? Everything I had is now finished. Why God, this to us,” yelled Gautam's father, who works as a chief surveyor in CMPDI.

Gautam's mother, who was told about the incident only on Thursday, was inconsolable. She fainted many a times after seeing the body of her son.

Gautam was the youngest among Paswan's three sons. The second son, Neeraj, was killed some 8 years ago following being kidnapped by unidentified miscreants. His body was recovered tied in a jute sack from the Chutia police station area. Police investigations in this case have proved futile till late.

The scene in the locality was grim and all the neighbours and friends turned up to Gautam's small house to pay their condolences to the grieving family. Neighbours said that the family had been struggling in order to pay for Gautam's education.

“The family had been struggling to make both ends meet. The father had taken a big loan for Gautam's education. They have been really struggling hard. Loosing two sons is not easy,” said a neighbour.

Meanwhile, the State Government assured the Assembly for a suitable reply over the issue on February 10. Raising the issue at Zero Hour, CPI(ML) legislator Vinod Kumar Singh asked the State Government to take a serious look over the deaths.

Singh said that the State Government must focus upon the higher and technical education in Jharkhand so that the students of Jharkhand are not forced to migrate to other States.

JVM legislator Pradeep Yadav, who supported the CPI(ML) legislator's point of view, said that the State Government must take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of the students studying in other States.

HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu clarified that the State Government has been in active touch with the Government of Tamil Nadu following the issue.

The Opposition though remained vociferous and said that even after more than a dozen of students of Jharkhand studying in different parts of Tamil Nadu and other southern States have fled following the incident, the State Government remained insensitive towards the issue.

Congress legislator Banna Gupta said that while the body of deceased student was brought to Jharkhand on Thursday, none of the officials of the district administration turned up.

Jharkhand to get schools to counter Maoist uprising

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The State Government finally woke up to the call of Maoist menace. Accepting that Naxal activities in Jharkhand have reached at an alarming level, Finance Minister Raghuwar Das unveiled modernisation plans of the State police forces in his Budget speech on Friday.

Announcing sanction of grants for opening of four new counter-insurgency schools in Netarhat, Padma, Musabani and Mandal, he said that the State was serious about forming a tribal battalion in Jharkhand. Das, in his Budget speech, announced to start a Civil Defense Training Institute to train people in the art of self-defense. The Government agreed to expand Nagrik Suraksha Samiti in Ranchi, East Singhbhum, Bokaro and Godda.

“The State Government has taken every step to ensure development of the area to win back youth, who have strayed away from the mainstream of the society. The Government is serious about tackling this issue,” Das said.

Das informed that the police personnel will be given special training in the coming days. In this context, he said that that the State was planning to construct training centres to impart training to State home guards.

Das said that the State intended to increase the coverage area of police stations and said that the Government wanted to increase the man-police ratio in Jharkhand. According to UN norms, man-police ratio in strife-torn areas should be 222 policemen for each one lakh population. In Jharkhand, this figure stands around 98 policemen for each one lakh population according to the reports.

Das informed that the State Government will encourage youth to join police force.

Das Budget tries to please all

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi |

Saturday, March 6, 2010

From sweet lovers to agriculturists to common men, Finance Minister Raghuwar Das tried to make everybody satisfied with a Budget which he christened as the budget of overall development of Jharkhand.

Amid uproar by the Opposition, Das presented the Finance Budget 2010-11 of Rs 22,297.59 crore where he sought Rs 11,993.18 crore and Rs 10,304.44 crore respectively under non-plan and plan head.

Announcing that the State Government was determined to accelerate Gross Domestic Product of Jharkhand to 10 per cent; Das was confronted with another greater challenge to limit the loss to the State Exchequer by 2.50 per cent. He said that the Government is expecting the growth of the per capita income by Rs 30,000.

The State Government tried to show its concern for aam admi and announced to lower down the taxes and complete exemption of the taxes on nearly 16 items.

The Government exempted rice, wheat, onion, potato and some other items, including footwear made of rubber and plastic, solar battery, henna, snacks produced by the cottage industry, from tax.

The Finance Minister announced to lower down VAT on helmet, motor parts, sweets, salty snacks and ice-cream from 12.5 to 4 per cent. The State Government also gave some respite to the petroleum dealers by lowering VAT on diesel from 20 per cent 18.

Later at a Press conference, the Minister accepted that large heartedness will incur loss to the State exchequer. “But we have decided to explore other sources of income and create atmosphere for the more revenue generation to compensate it,” he said.

The Government tried to exhibit a fine balancing act between agriculture and industry. Though, there was no word over how the Government plans to create an atmosphere for industrial development and investment in Jharkhand except ‘Single Window System’ and ‘Jharkhand Infrastructure Development Authority.’

There was a grumble in the industrial sector after Das did not carry any candy for industry to please. In fact the department of industry got a paltry share in allocation 1.28 per cent of the total layout.

“Agriculture”, Das said, “constitute the bedrock of the development of the State. If I get a chance to rule the sky I will pluck all the stars to give it the State.” He read out a couplet to show his seriousness to develop agriculture.

The Minister announced to start several measures for effective marketing of the agricultural products, investments and creating employment opportunity in agriculture.

Insurance for farmers, Tilka Manjhi Krishi Pump Yojna, fish farmers’ credit card, lowering down interest rate of the Kishan Credit Card from 7 per cent to 4 per cent under some given condition and special operation in 15 districts to improve the cultivation of pulses under National Food Security Mission were some other measures; Das tried to please the farmers.

Das said the Government planned 5 per cent growth rate in the agriculture sector. He dedicated Rs 260 crore for the development of agriculture. But the Opposition was not happy. “Budget is a finely worded fraud on the people specially farmers…no solid commitments and plan on how to help poor farmers from the debt trap since after Jharkhand has been passing through a tumults phase of draught. The government instead cut down the budgetary allocation of some of the key departments that are directly associated with farmers and rural sector,” Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat countered.

The Budget earmarked Rs 475 crore for irrigation and announced to expand the total irrigated area up to 57,085 hectares in the next fiscal year. Rs 1,000 for rural development, 80000 new vacancies, direct recruitment to matriculated tribal candidates in the job, special training to the rural youths, Rs 70 crore for conducting elections of Panchyat Raj institution were the part of the Budget.

Institution like National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and its execution remained the key concern of the government. Hence, Das announced Rs 2500 crore for NREGA.

Under urban development Das announced to prepare feasibility report for metro rail projects in major towns of Jharkhand. He also announced new flyovers, proper drainage and others.

He announced to open 300 new schools in Jharkhand, medical colleges on the basis of public-private-partnership in Bokaro and Ghatsila, new ITI and women polytechnic institutes and others were announced by Das.

Cong calls Budget unreal, window dressing

Cong calls Budget unreal, window dressing

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

Rubbishing the State Government’s claim of a good Budget, the Congress on Saturday criticised the budgetary proposals.

The State Congress gave the Budget three different names: Unreal, window dressing and a document of inflated estimates. The party criticised the Government for not making special provisions to meet the famine-like conditions in Jharkhand. “It can not be called a real Budget. It is not going to benefit the people. The Govern-ment has no vision for the development of Jharkhand,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said at a Press conference.

He slammed Finance Minister Raghuwar Das claims to present downsized non-planned Budget only to cloak fiscal deficit and revenue loss. Kishore said that the budget is based on inflated claim of the government to collect revenues in the next financial year 2010-11. “But the records of the past budgets and the revenue colleted therein suggests that the successive governments have failed to meet the target,” Kishore cautioned.

Kishore also disputed the claim of the Finance Minister Raghuwar Das that the government was serious about rural economy. The state government has made a provision of Rs 260 crore for agriculture this time in comparison with the last budget where the amount was Rs 200 crore.

“While the Government was barely able to spend merely 40 per cent of the total budgetary allocation in the past budget…now on the basis of additional Rs 60 crore the government has been claiming to achieve five percent growth rate in the agricultural product.”

He also ridiculed Das’ explore feasibility of metro rail project in Jharkhand.

“While the successive Governments have not been able to start ring road project in Ranchi, Das has been selling a false dream,” Kishore said.

Stating that the announcements made by Das, including opening of 300 new schools and generating 80,000 employment opportunities in Jharkhand, Kishore doubted that announcements would hardly graduate beyond the Budget speech.

Kishore was flanked by senior party leader Sukhdeo Bhagat who termed it a false claim of
the Finance Minister. Bhagat said that the Government has only been making tall claims, “despite 5,000 posts of teachers lying vacant”. Over the proposed mass employments in the current financial year, he wondered: “Government announced but made no provision in the budget.”

Bhagat also criticised the Budget for not making any provision for the university and college teachers for their revised salary under the Sixth Pay Commission report.

Saryu faces off Binod Sinha’s aide

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

RANCHI | Monday, March 8, 2010

Often not a Press conference over mega scam like the Madhu Koda and Co was interrupted by a person happens to be close to the kingpin of the scam. It happened on Saturday at a Press conference of BJP leader Saryu Rai.

“I have not been getting desired support from the BJP to raise the Madhu Koda scam issue. The same party had supported me during the fodder scam case in Bihar…”

Rai had hardly concluded his statement --- yet to demand a CBI inquiry ---- when a man sitting in the last row suddenly rose up to interrupt him. Interruption came from Soubhik Chattopadhya, a key associate of Binod Sinha, kingpin of the Madhu Koda scam.

Rai had called this Press conference to counter the sting operation allegedly carried on High Court lawyer Ritu Kumar by Chattopadhya with the help of standing council of Jharkhand Government Rajendra Krishna and others. Ritu Kumar is the counsel of Durga Oraon, who had filed public interest litigation against former Jharkhand Chief Minister and others.

In the alleged CD, the lawyer has been allured for accepting Rs 20 lakh as a bribe to tone down the cases against the culprits.

During the Press conference, Rai repeatedly named Chattopadhya for hatching conspiracy against whistleblowers of this case to scuttle the probe. He even provided transcript of the conversation of the CD to support his claim.

“I am Soubhik Chattopadhya, the man you have been naming so frequently. You have your vested interest in this matter and you are politicising it for your own benefit,” Chattopadhya startled everybody by his presence. Allegation and counter allegation started flying from both the sides.

“You agent (expletive deleted) of imposters! Who called you in this Press conference? “Do you think I belong to the bunch of those lawyers,” read Rajendra Krishna, “whom you can purchase. Kick him out. Go away you ***” Rai made an angry retort.

He alleged that like Ritu Kumar the nexus involved in scam are now trying to implicate him also.

The man was taken out of the premises. But before this he was surrounded by wolf packed media to get a bite. And there was a parallel Press conference where Chattopadhya spent payloads of allegations against Rai and some others.

Later Chattopadhya’s close associates alleged manhandling by supporters of Rai outside of the conference hall. “He has been admitted in the Raj Hospital. He suffered injury on the head,” said one of the close associates of Chattopadhya.

Rai resumed from where he was interrupted. “I will continue my crusade against corruption even after my party flinches back from supporting me. I have met central BJP leaders to persuade them to raise this matter at national level.”

But there seems to be no taker in the State BJP to support his demand for a CBI inquiry of the case under supervision of the High Court of Jharkhand. The State Government where the BJP is a key partner has already refused to hand over the case to the CBI stating that the State vigilance department was competent enough to investigate it.

“I feel pity for those,” Rai obliquely referred to Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and Rajya Sabha MP SS Ahluwaliya, “who believe that State vigilance department can handle such mega scam which has roots in the foreign countries.”

Rai also charged Enforcement Directorate for not handling the case properly. “Things are managed in such a way to help accuses of the case like Manoj Punamiya to get relief from the high court…I had unearthed this scam and I demand CBI inquiry.”

BJP leadership is wrapped in silence now after using its lungs power to demand a CBI probe during Assembly elections. Then the BJP was in the Opposition. It is the BJP in the power now.

Opp runs parallel session

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
Thursday, March 11, 2010

Although the Jharkhand Assembly seems to have started on an optimistic note on Wednesday morning, it lost no time in reaching the complete anarchy as soon as the session began. The House witnessed uproar of the Opposition that forced Speaker CP Singh to adjourn the proceedings of the House thrice at 12:05 pm, 12:45pm and finally at 2 pm.

The Opposition led by Vinod Singh (CPI)ML, Pradeep Yadav, Phoolchand Mandal, Nirbhay Sahabadi and Samresh Singh, all from the JVM, and KN Tripathy of the Congress tried to bring an adjournment motion to discuss and demand CBI inquiries into the corruption cases in Jharkhand. The demand for the motion was rejected by Speaker CP Singh.

The drama inside the Assembly reached a climax with the start of the session. And the irked Opposition rushed to the well; sat there to start a parallel session. The Opposition chose Samresh Singh as the Speaker of that parallel session. Singh perhaps tried to copy one unruly scene of Parliament last day and kicked a chair to symbolise a fiery Opposition this time.

Both the Treasury Bench and the Opposition held two separate Press conferences to accuse each others. The Speaker repeated appeal often lost in high octane sloganeering of the Opposition. “Down with the Government supporting corrupts elements. Corruption cases be investigated by the CBI,” Pradeep Yadav, Congress MLA Banna Gupta and others continuously raised slogans.

The appeal of the Speaker went unheard by the Opposition and the treasury bench and often allowed their tongues to sting their opponent with earthy adjectives.

The agitated treasury reciprocated the slogan shouting. “Chor machaye sore…chore chore mausera bhai.” In turn Gupta demanded a CBI probe of the Tata lease issue.

Chief Minister Shibu Soren was watching the theatrics motionless and the Opposition continued to prod him to give statement whether his Government agreed to recommend for a CBI inquiry of the corruption cases including the Madhu Koda scam.

At one point of time, Soren thought to stand to give statement but sank to his seat only to allow Das to mount assault on the Opposition.

“Your Prime Minister is the man of clean image. This corruption case has its roots in the foreign countries also. Why do not you ask your Prime Minister to involve Interpol to investigate the case?” Das said.

The Opposition did not allow the House to run which was adjourned till 12:45 and witnessed similar commotion when it was adjourned till 2pm.

Soon after the high voltage drama, Das, along with Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato and the HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu, held a joint press conference.

“The Opposition is anti-development…it has no issue and the act of the Opposition in
the House is discouraging,” Das slammed the opposition, adding, “Government has not
slackened its stand against corruption.”

Das reworded what he had said inside the House that vigilance department is competent enough to probe this case. He demanded that the diary of Koda that allegedly contains the names of some of the Congress leaders be made public.

The leader of the Opposition, Rajendra Singh, Pradeep Yadav, RJD MLA Annapurna Devi and Vinod Singh held another Press conference to counter the allegation of the Treasury Bench.

“We are not allowed to read the adjournment motion. We wanted a debate on the corruption issue in Jharkhand and demand CBI inquiries into all these cases, including Koda issue,” the Opposition charged the Government with not running the House in a democratic manner.

They claimed that the fear of noose around their neck is stopping the BJP and the JMM from recommending CBI inquiries.

In the Opposition, there was an unexciting audience --- Gita Koda, the wife of Madhu Koda, --- who did not react even to say ‘down the Government’ even for the sake Opposition’s unity.

Minister fumbles, Opp levels serious charge

Minister fumbles, Opp levels serious charge

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

She could not have been nervous, but improper briefing and lack of information probably made the Minister for Social Welfare, Woman and Child Development, Sudha Chaudhary, to be so.

Chaudhary rose to reply the Opposition’s charge of loopholes in her department during the Budget speech, but her 15-minute speech gave many causes for consternation among the Opposition.

She rose to read out the Progress Report 2009-10 and Work plan report 2010-11 of her department. Before this, the Opposition had collected sufficient ammunition to blast her claims.

Among various welfare projects of her department, she read out: “The department has been providing Rs 900 to each student of the blind school of Ranchi.”

Chaudhary could not anticipate that Speaker CP Singh was ready with a few papers to make her nervous. “Mantriji are you sure that the students of blind school are paid the said amount as mentioned in the report?” Singh said.

“Yes Sir,” the Minister made a bold claim.

“I have received a letter from the principal of the school…the principal says that only Rs 500 are paid against each student. He has requested me to increase the amount,” Singh waved the letter.

The Opposition lost no time to condemn the Minister. JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav demanded an ‘all party probe’ to fix responsibility of the officials and even rushed to the well of the House for quite some times.

Flanked by Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and party MLAs, the Minister lost her nerves. Das came to defend her but the Opposition relented only after the Government announced to hold an inquiry into the matter by secretary-level officials.

Even in the first half of the session, Chaudhary was gasping for a suitable reply when Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey said that the school has been running without power for the past 16 months.

But that was not the end of the admonition by the Opposition. There was yet another episode of her agony when she stood to reply other charges of corruption against CDPOs of the department.

Madhavlal Singh (Congress), Annapurna Devi and Sanjay Singh Yadav of the RJD raised the matter of the corruption in the appointments of the helpers for different welfare projects of the Government, including Anganwari.

Stating that CDPOs are beyond the control of the Government, the Opposition accused them of taking bribes for the appointments of the helpers. The Opposition even blamed CDPOs for siphoning off money meant for welfare projects.

Everything was fine till the Minister assured to probe the allegation and sought support of the MLAs to run the projects. Chaudhary, however, added that due consent is taken of the MP, MLA and the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned area in the appointment of helpers.

The Opposition protested her statement with high pitched sloganeering often rushing to the well of the House. She continued to stick to her statement. “Please try to understand…she is the first-time MLA. She has become a Minister for the first time…perhaps she might not be aware of this. Please consider it…let her finish,” the Speaker appealed the House.

The Minister was as nervous as a rookie conductor asked to lead a mega philharmonic concert with little knowledge of music.

Now, Welfare Minister stumbles

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi
| Saturday, March 13, 2010

Welfare Minister Hazi Hussain was red faced when he was caught furnishing wrong information to the Assembly. The claim of Ansari boomeranged during the Budget session on Friday when he said that the State Government has, so far; distributed Rs 7,40,80,000 as gratuitous relief among 1.9 lakh families.

JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav, who raised this matter during Question Hour, was quick to challenge the Minister. He claimed none of the family in Jharkhand has received the amount under ‘dire need of immediate sustenance’ as claimed by the Minister.

The Minister, however, was fine to elaborate the scheme under the head of ‘disaster management’ where the State Government provides financial assistance of Rs 400 to each family. But his claim to have provided the relief raised a bout of protest of the Opposition.

JVM MLA Samresh Singh got yet another opportunity to jump in the Well of the House while the rest resorted to sloganeering calling Minister’s claim ‘a big lie on pious Friday.’

Even Assembly Speaker CP Singh was not happy with the way the ministers of the Government has been coming in the House ill-prepared and ill-informed.

“Please be well-informed when you come to face the House,” Ansari received professional admonition from the Speaker. And the Minister was left wondering.

It, nevertheless, did not help to assuage the Opposition which unremittingly hooted the Minister. The Treasury was meekly conceded that minister’s claim held no ground.

Intervening in the matter, Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das assured the House to ensure the distribution of gratuitous amount within one month. It for the second consecutive day when the first-time ministers of the Shibu Soren Government were caught for briefing the House with false or unsupported data.

House raps JVM MLA for slur on Speaker

House raps JVM MLA for slur on Speaker

Vijay Deo Jha | Ranchi

Treasury Bench condemned the unsavoury remark of JVM MLA Samresh Singh flung at Assembly Speaker CP Singh during the Budget session on Monday.

On being denied a call attention motion, a peeved Samresh pointed finger at the Speaker and said: "You do not***to be…" and the House plunged in commotion.

Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuwar Das and Sudesh Mahato, along with others, demanded unconditional apology from him. Visibly upset CP Singh condemned the behaviour of Samresh: "Cannot you adopt some other way to make your point…you jump in the Well. You tear paper. Is this the way?"

The Treasury Bench continued to raise slogans alleging that Samresh came to Assembly only to disturb the Budget session.

His statement was expunged and Samresh expressed regret over his behaviour. However, Samresh fetched little support even from his party MLAs, including Pradeeep Yadav.

Later on, Samresh said: "The Speaker is pro-BJP and pro-Government and I am answerable to my people who elected me and not to the Speaker."

He wanted to raise the issue of the custodial death of a person a few years back whose kith and kin were not given compensation despite the announcement of the Government.

But it was not the only issue that rocked the House. Before the start of the session, the Opposition raised slogans against the State Government for not recommending a CBI investigation into corruption cases. They displayed placards demanding a CBI investigation.

Chief Minister Shibu Soren remained absent from the session even after he had to face the House during 'Chief Minister's question hour.'

The Government erred again during the second half of the session when it moved to seek a debate over Institutional Finance Report without putting it before the House. The Opposition stalled the move of the Government and termed it as the breach of the privilege of the House. Later on, the Government dropped the move.

Similar uproar was reported outside the Assembly, where hundreds of Congress workers were struggling to assert their role as the Opposition.

"This Government is anti-people and it has no mandate to rule. The Government has no vision and has duel character," leaders lashed on the NDA-JMM-AJSU Government.

Participating in the demonstration were State Congress co-incharge Abdul Mannan, State Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu, senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore, leader of the Opposition Rajendra Singh, along with Congress MLAs, party media incharge Sailesh Sinha, Alok Dubey, Rakesh Sinha, Ajay Rai and others.

"We are demonstrating against the State Government as a part of our commitment towards the people," Balmuchu said.

The party accused the Government of having dual faces over price hike issue. "In New Delhi, BJP MPs walk out from Parliament against price hike of commodities and petroleum products. In Jharkhand, they increase VAT on diesel. People will soon divorce this Government," former Congress MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat said.

Kishore on the other hand blamed the Government hands-in-glove with the Maoists in the wake of the operation Green Hunt in Jharkhand. "Chief Minister Shibu Soren is not willing to continue this operation so why he has been giving misleading statements over this," Kishore said.

He was referring to the statement where Soren claimed that the State Government was not taken in confidence before launching this operation.

Congress prominently raised four issues. It demanded to declare Jharkhand famine-hit, CBI investigation of the corruption charges, early Panchyat election, roll back of VAT on diesel prices, payment of insurance money to the farmers and early relief.

Congress leaders must have returned home wondering over poor turn out of crowd.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.