loaded with fresh arsenals, united Opposition, in the leadership of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) made its intentions clear on the beginning of the Budget Session on Monday. Setting the combative tone for the 23-day long Session, the Opposition flashed the issues of poor law and order issue, pending domicile policy and financial mismanagement prominently.
The members of the JMM, also joined by two-member JVM, first disrupted speech of Governor Draupadi Murmu and later staged a walkout from the House in a huff. The Opposition members picked up current controversy surrounding Baghmara legislator of the BJP Dhullu Mahto to draw a larger point about ‘deteriorating’ law and order in the State.
“Situation of law and order is so pathetic that leave alone investors and businessmen even common men are feeling threatened in roaming around. The Government is just making tall claims outside to cover up its failures back home. Ruling party MlA Dhullu Mahto is seeking ransom from industrialists. We demand for his arrest soon and are going to raise the issue,” said leader of Opposition and JMM leader Hemant Soren outside the House following the protest inside.
Earlier, his party’s senior members like Champai Soren, Stephen Marandi, Narayan Das and other disrupted proceedings of the House on the inaugural day and raised slogans against criminal activities, tried to flag placards and demanded vociferously for domicile policy. They were later joined by the Pradeep Yadav-led JVM.
Amid the protest and subsequent walkout, the Governor unabatedly continued outlining some prominent and prolific agendas of the Government. “My Government is going ahead with 10 points in mind which define important areas relating to development. Those stress on greater people participation in the plan making exercise. The plan making is for the people and by the people,” said Murmu in her address, indicating towards path breaking initiative taken by the Government in the form of ‘yojna banao abhiyan’.
She went on underlining some of the successes of the Government in the areas such as sanitation, education and industry. “Under the Namani Gange programme, over 23,400 toilets have been built to make the village panchayats situated at the bank of the Ganga open defecation free. On the education front, my Government has taken steps to set up a separate department for higher and technical education,” she added.
Earlier, the Governor was given the guard of honour and welcomed by Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon, Chief Minister Raghubar Das and the leader of Opposition besides, other members.
The speech also mentioned about establishment of IIIT and Defence University in the State besides, enactment of new industrial policy, land banks, road and industrial corridor projects, power plants, food security, girl education, child health and other social security initiatives taken by the Government during its over one-year stay. It also outlined measures such as restructuring of departments and vowed for better governance with greater responsibility.
At the end the members also expressed condolences on the demise of some prominent personalities that included Godda’s sitting MlA Raghunandan Mandal.