Fears of the Kaithal like scene to be repeated in Ranchi proved right when Chief Minister Hemant Soren was jeered by a handful of audience coming to attend the programme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The crowd started the 'Modi chant' as soon as the CM walked up to the podium to deliver his speech.
The hooting continued for considerable period of his speech which clearly had its bearings on his address. looking disturbed with the treatment given the CM resultantly came under pressure when he mentioned the Prime Minister as 'adyaksh mahoday' (chairperson) on numerous occasions before correcting himself promptly thereafter with fumbles.
He barely managed to respond saying, "Governments come and go, but dignity of the stage should be maintained." This prompted even the Prime Minister to indicate the 'Modi-Modi' chanting crowd to settle down. Several BJP leaders present at the venue were also seen marching towards the crowd in order to pacify them. Though, the annoyed CM went all out after seeing off Modi from Ranchi.
"What has happened is equal to rape of the system. It was an attempt to distort the federal structure by using the Government machinery. This should not have happened. It is not good for federal structure of the country.
The Prime Minster should take note of it," said Soren when reporters wanted his reaction to the incident and at the same time challenged to come in political arena.
Equally tough reaction came from his party JMM which besides, burning the Prime Minister's effigy in the evening also declared that all the Union Ministers visiting the State in future would be given similar treatment. "We had apprehensions about something like that to happen after similar treatment given to Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Haryana Chief Minister) couple of days ago. We had written to the PMO in this regard as well but the unfortunate thing happened even then. The JMM would reciprocate appropriately in future," said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya.
The Congress alleged that the Prime Minister for using a platform of a Government programme for electoral goals which ended with this. "He used this forum for political gains. All hooters were the BJP workers and the party facilitated their entry into the venue. It clearly shows the mindset of the BJP," said PCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat.
The saffron party, on the other hand, defended the incident terming it the listeners' wish. "The crowd had come to listen to their popular Prime Minister. They wanted Narendra Modi to speak and that is why all this happened," said BJP State president Ravindra Rai.