It may sound bizarre for many who have seen the previous Arjun Munda Government being pulled down on the very domicile policy issue to look at the manifesto of the JMM released ahead of the Assembly polls. The Shibu Soren-led party in its ‘Pratigya Patra’ or oath paper, as it has been named, has conveniently dropped the contentious matter.
The puzzling issue, despite several attempts made by Governments before, could not be resolved by Chief Minister Hemant Soren during his over one and half year stay in the office. The party seems to have set aside its opinion onto the policy and refrained to make any promise sensing the dissatisfaction it may cause in one section of society or the other in the State.
“The issue is already at the deliberation level with the Government and any decision would be taken after taking all the views into the account by the new Government,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya briefly when scratched about this after the document release.Interestingly the manifesto names its biggest rival into the polls the BJP and alleged it for conspiring to do away with the SPT and CNT Acts for the sake of looting the tribal lands which “carry the legacy of our forefathers Sido-Kanhu, Chand-Bhairao, Dharti Aaba, Tilka Majhi and Bhagwan Birsa Munda.”
On the other, the party going alone on all the 81 Assembly seats has pledged to fulfill all the public aspirations, including employment opportunities for youths, women empowerment, ending mal-nutrition and development with a human face.
“We have taken this manifesto as pratigya patra for us to meet all the expectations of the people. Our stress would be on the ways to achieve overall development targets along with maintaining social harmony. The JMM appeals to all the voters of the State to form a Government of the party with full majority this time,” said Chief Minister Hemant Soren after the release on Monday. Party supremo Shibu Soren, Minister Haji Hussain Ansari and Tundi MlA Mathura Mahto were also present on the occasion.
Though the document spreading in just 14 pages could not prevent itself from harping on special status to Jharkhand and complained about highhandedness the State met in the hands of the Centre. “As Guruji often says, Jharkhand despite being blessed with mineral wealth gets a raw deal and has been deprived of its rights. The lost self-respect of the State would be restored,” said Bhattacharya.
The party has also focused significantly on “corruption-free tenure” of Hemant Soren earlier as Finance Minister and now as Chief Minister. It was claimed that no financial mismanagement and irregularity took place with Soren at the helm which is a clear distinction from the tainted journey of the newborn State so far.
“The present Hemant Soren Government in its 14 months has done commendable work for administrative reforms. There are some incomplete tasks like decentralisation of governance with full accountability which would be done if the party comes into power,” added, the leader highlighting some of aspects mentioned in the paper.
The manifesto lists reforms such as disposal of files in a time bound manner, public hearings at all levels, regular Cabinet meetings in Divisional headquarters and wider consultation before Budget formation. Promises to grant industry status to agriculture, cent per cent e-governance at local level, basic infrastructure at village level, hospital and high school at every panchayat, houses for landless, appointment against all vacancies in one-year time, developing smart villages etc have also been made.
Also, the JMM released another list of 10 candidates which include much awaited Ranchi, Kanke and Koderma.