Accusing that the centre is using central investigating agencies to target its rival governments, the chief minister Jharkhand Hemant Soren today skipped from appearing before the Enforcement Directorate who summoned the CM for questioning in an illegal mining case.
Blaming that the issue of summoning from ED is nothing but a part of a ploy to witch hunt an Aadivasi Chief Minister, Soren said “Why questioning, let’s come and dare to arrest me directly if I have really committed a big crime.”
While addressing a gathering of party workers today, the Jharkhand CM in a rebellious tone said, “the BJP used the central investigating agencies in a bid to destabilise the democratically elected government.” I am not scared of either the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the CBI. I will give a fitting reply to this conspiracy against my government.
It is pertinent to mention here that two BJP leaders Raghuvar Das and Babu Marandi, in their plea to governor, has accused Hemant Soren of getting a mining lease sanctioned on his name in the year 2021 while holding the office as a Chief Minister and seek action under Office of Profit act. It is against this background the ED summoned the CM for questioning but the latter skipped it.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Government and the Centre come toe-to-toe after the Enforcement Directorate summoned the Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an illegal mining case. Fear grows that an economic blockade may likely be imposed in the state from November 5, as a tit-for-tat response. It is learnt that the ruling party Jharkhand Mukti Morch will hold demonstrations at all the district headquarters on November 5.
Earlier, a joint meeting of UPA leaders including the Congress was held on Monday at CM Soren’s residence wherein it was reportedly said that the leaders advised Soren to skip ED’s summon. Later the ruling party JMM came to announce the economic blockade in the state.
As a result of the economic blockade, a ban may be imposed on mining of minerals and their transportation, and if continued, will cause widespread economic damage to various states especially the Centre that have a lion share of stakes in mineral mining in the state of Jharkhand.
“There would be no other way left for us except to impose an economic blockade against the injustice being done to Jharkhand by the Centre under BJP rule led by PM Modi,” said Supriya Bhattacharya, the spokesperson of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
