Post lunch the ongoing budget session on Tuesday witnessed uproar over the remark of Congress’ Jamtara legislator Irfan Ansari. Ansari, participating at the cut motion on health budget, alleged that the Deoghar Civil Surgeon is not discharging his duties properly as he is not following the State Government directives.
Ansari alleged the Deoghar Civil Surgeon though is a government employee, but he is working as an agent of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). RSS is a socio-cultural organization, committed to promote & perpetuate nationalist values. The BJP legislators sitting in the House protested strongly over Ansari’s remark.
BJP MLA from Bhawanthpur Bhanu Pratap Shahi reacting strongly on Ansari’s remark said, “If the Deoghar Civil Surgeon is RSS agent than he (Ansari) is ISI agent.” Ansari alleged that due to the Prime Minister’s wrong policies Corona is spreading in Country. He also demanded construction of another hospital on the lines of RIMS.
Earlier, during the question hour the matter of illegal land acquisition of tribal land at Simdega district was raised by JMM legislators Dashrath Gagrai (Kharsawan) and Dipak Birua (Chaibasa). The two MLAs alleged that at West Singhbhum district a plot of tribal land is being acquired by M/S Ten31 (Manufacturer of ACC block) on lease agreement which is against section 49 of CNT/SPT Act. The two MLAs demanded government intervention on the issue.
The Chief Minister replying to a query made by JMM lawmakers said that the State government will carry out a probe within 15 days and will take appropriate action in this connection.
In the first half of the question hour, demand for inclusion of Kurmi/Kudmi in ST category was also raised by Kurmi MLAs.
Kurmi MLAs cutting across party lines staged a protest demanding state government to include Kurmi in ST category.
The MLAs who raised the issue included Mathura Mahto (JMM), Indranath Mahto (BJP), JP Patel (BJP), Mamta Devi (Congress) and others. Mathura Mahto said, “Kurmis were under ST till 1950 and our caste was excluded under a conspiracy.”
At present Kurmis get reservation benefits under the OBC category.
According to government sources, Kurmis constitute around 10 to 12 percent of the total population.
However, Kurmi leaders claimed that their community constitutes up to 22 percent of the population.
The demand for inclusion of Kurmi in ST category is a long pending demand of the community and the community since decades has been raising the demand.