BJP leader Raghubar Das addresses a press conference, in Ranchi, on September 10, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Wednesday (September 10, 2025) took a dig at the Hemant Soren’s government accusing him of depriving the basic rights to the tribals.
He alleged that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress government in the State were violating the constitutional rights of the tribals and backward classes in the State.
Mr. Das pointed out that earlier the BJP government had taken positive steps to implement the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, commonly known as PESA Act in Jharkhand and the process was moved forward.
“The Hemant Soren government forwarded it to the Law Department and further, the Advocate General also paved the way to take it to the cabinet, but due to the unclear intention, this government is keeping it hanging,”Mr. Das said during the press conference at the party office in Ranchi.
He added that the PESA Act gives the right to Gram Sabha to manage minerals, sand, stone excavation and fish farming in ponds .
Mr. Das alleged that Soren’s government has its own vested interest behind not implementing the PESA rules.
“This government wants middlemen to continue looting the mineral resources, sand, and stone of the State so that they can fill the Chief Minister’s pocket. The State government, in contempt of court, has issued an advertisement by setting a revenue target of ₹2000 crores from sand,”Mr. Das said.
He further demanded the probe of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging that in the last 6 years, the State has witnessed the loot of thousands of crores of mineral resources.
“The Congress-JMM government does not want to give rights to the tribal society. This government has not even formed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe Commission,”Mr. Das said.
Accompanied by State media in-charge Shiv Pujan Pathak and spokesperson Ramakant Mahato, he raised the issue of pending municipal elections in the State. Mr. Das alleged that the State government neither wants to develop villages or cities.
“By not conducting municipal elections, the government is depriving Jharkhand of the central grant of ₹1800 crores every year. Whereas due to non-implementation of PESA, a loss of 1400 crores are being incurred,”Mr. Das said.
Lashing out at the State government, Mr. Das said that it was working under the pressure of middlemen, brokers and those who follow foreign religion.
“This government is engaged in politics of appeasement and being run by a syndicate of brokers and middlemen. Once the tribals, backward and Dalits of the State will come out on the streets, then the State government will have to pay a heavy price,”Mr. Das said.
He demanded to conduct municipal elections immediately and also clear the deck for the PESA Act in the cabinet and implement it.
Published – September 11, 2025 02:43 am IST
