Peoples’ representatives of local bodies are up against Hazaribagh district administration on the issue of arrest of their fellow Ramswarup Ojha, Deputy Pramukh of Keredari block. They organised a massive dharna in front of Hazaribagh Collectorate and handed over a memorandum addressed to Governor demanding unconditional release of their fellow.
On September 10, CM Raghuvar Das was here at Hazaribagh to address the conclave of village and other local body representatives of entire North Chotanagpur division. In that conclave Ojha had protested during CM’s address. later he was arrested on the charge of showing slippers to the CM which is not mentioned in the FIR lodged against him. He was sent to jail under section 353 which is a non-bail-able section.
Addressing the dharna, State general secretary of Janta Dal United Bateshwar Prasad Mehta said that the district administration has misused Section 353 and it has become a fashion in this State during Das Government. In support of the agitating peoples’ representatives he said that his party will fight for them as and if required.
Shalini Gupta, the president of State district board members association, said that CM had actually insulted them in that meeting through his words and that is why he is losing respect in the eyes of elected local body representatives of the State.
The officers of district administration booked Ojha only to please their boss without any cause. Ojha has cleared that he had not shown the slippers to the CM. Actually his slippers had sunk in the mud and he used his hands to dig it out.
Many other speakers like chairman of district board Sushila Devi, Ramgarh district board president Bramhadev Mahto, latehar’s Vice Chairman Rajendra Sahu, Gumla’s Kiran Bada, Simdega’s Meman Ekka, Ranchi’s vice chairman Parvati Devi, Giridih’s chairman Rakesh Mahto and others demanded unconditional release of Ojha and gave a message to the CM to show his big heart to reestablish his credit amongst the local body representatives.