The State BJP unit today targeted the State Government for delay in granting
leader of opposition status to party legislative party leader Babulal Marandi.
Addressing a press conference held at BJP office, party spokesperson Pratul
Shahdeo said that JMM and its alliance partners are scared of Babulal Marandi.
Shahdeo said that the fear is evident from the fact that despite being recognized by
the Election Commission of India, Babulal Marandi has not been recognized as a
BJP MLA till date by the Jharkhand Assembly. Babulal Marandi had voted in
favor of the BJP candidate as a BJP MLA.
But the state government is so afraid of Babulal that they are unable to muster the
courage to make him a BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition.
Shahdeo said that the Speaker, taking suo motu cognizance of the member case of
Babulal Marandi, had issued a notice on this issue, which was quashed in the
Jharkhand High Court vide case number Wpc3687/2020. After this, a case was
filed in the Speaker's Tribunal against Babulal by some MLAs of the ruling party.
This case was also registered after the deadline. BJP MLA Samri Lal and other
MLAs also booked Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey under the Anti-Defection
Act. But no one knows what action was taken against him. Now only Babulal
Marandi's case has been heard against natural justice, while almost the same
charges were also leveled against Bandhu Tirkey and Pradeep Yadav. People
holding constitutional posts are seen in a hurry.
Shahdeo said that if the Babulal Marandi case is being heard in the Speaker's
tribunal, then why the cases of Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey are not heard.
Responding to a question on the action taken by ED today, he said that agencies
like ED, CBI, NIA work independently. The central government has zero tolerance
towards corruption and if there is information about corruption anywhere. The
agency functions in the discharge of its responsibilities. He said that if any person
and party comes forward in support and defense of the corrupt, then the public will
work to identify them too. Congress and other opposition parties have always seen
the misuse of these agencies because it was what they did during their tenure.