The week is going to start with a showdown between State Government and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) with the latter threatening to lay siege at the main secretarial building, Project Bhawan, and blocking entry to the building. However, the district administration has too few arrows in their quiver to prevent the party from laying siege at the building.
The JVM is planning to organise a statewide bandh to take the incumbent government head-on on the issue of electricity problem, deteriorating law & order and issues which the party believes signify absence of governance in the State. The bandh will be led by JVM leader Pradeep Yadav.
The administration has so far deputed magistrates at Jagannathpur, Dhurwa and Doranda police stations besides an additional magistrate to prevent the imminent clash between the political party and the government. The battlefield at Project Building will be controlled with regular police forces only and spot arrest is the only effective strategy to contain unruly part workers.
“Nothing will happen tomorrow. We are fully prepared for it,” said SDO Sadar, Ranchi, Amit Kumar. However, till late evening there were no plans of preventive arrests of the leaders of the party who are bent on stopping even Chief Minister Hemant Soren from entering the premises of the building and preventing him from discharging his duties. Besides, being the main secretarial building housing important departments work is likely to hamper to a great extent due to the protest called by JVM.“There are no alarming inputs to use the power of preventive arrest however we have a set drill to deal with the significant protests. Police forces are available to deal with bandh,” said City SP Anup Birthare.
The party has been preparing to win confidence of people by aligning itself with people’s agenda especially after a disappointing performance in recently concluded lok Sabha elections. The protest is also an attempt to improve performance in the upcoming Assembly elections but the vigour of protest has been underestimated even by district administrations in Jharkhand. While few districts have taken the bandh seriously in the back drop of the wish to regain strength few downplay it to cause any inconvenience to people and disruptions in routine work. “Preparations have been made for the bandh and deployment has been made (in the district),” said SDO Dumka.