After being hackled by tribal leaders and partners, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has taken back its ‘pratigya patra’ or poll manifesto released just a day before.
The party has been facing all round criticism for entirely ignoring one of its core issues i.e. domicile policy for the people of Jharkhand in the pre-poll document depicting ideologies and ideas about governance to follow.
The red-faced party on Tuesday came out with a lame defense and termed the 14-page document as incomplete. “We had discussed all the issues to be put in the pratigya patra and had followed Guruji’s instructions before publishing it. But when Guruji and all of us took a glance on the paper later in the evening after the release, he brought to our notice the mistake. later we realised that a whole page has been missed out and could not be printed due to some technical glitches. On Guruji’s instructions, we are bringing a revised pratigya patra and have ordered for printing fresh copies,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya.
The Pioneer had on Monday highlighted about the party going blank completely on the serious issue after the paper was released by JMM chief Shibu Soren and Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Notably, it was Hemant Soren who had pulled out support from previous BJP Government on this very issue and shook hands with the Congress to replace Arjun Munda as Chief Minister. The incumbent Government in its over 14 months’ stay in the office hardly made any progress on the contentious issue except continuing the already running consultation process.
Though, the defense sounded too weak for many. “They have named Guruji just to control the damage already done. It is hilarious that all the leaders of the party did not see its all important document before being released! Actually, they have never taken any issue relating to the people of the State seriously. The people would give them a befitting reply in the polls,” said TMC legislator Bandhu Tirkey, who was extending his support to the Hemant Soren Government on domicile issue.
Not convinced by the justification presented by the JMM, Tirkey pleaded that his party and supporters would highlight the politics of convenience during the poll campaign ahead. Also, the Congress, which is going separately from the JMM into the polls, looks to score a big on it in the Santhal Pargana area, a tribal heartland and considered bastion of the former.
“The manifesto is nothing more than cheating and betrayal done to the people of the State. The JMM has not bothered about anyone except themselves. All the efforts done by Hemant Soren were just an eyewash and we are going to highlight the true face of the JMM especially in Santhal Pargana and Kolhan,” said senior Congress leader and party’s face in the region Furkan Ansari.