It was a day of protests on Friday in the poll-bound state of Jharkhand.

The JMM held Jharkhand Adhikar rallies across the state to protest against the Centre accusing it of denying mining royalties due to the state and the Sarna religion code of the tribals.

The Opposition BJP’s youth wing Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha (BYJM) activists from across the state took out Yuva Akrosh Rally in Ranchi, alleging that the youths were protesting against Hemant Soren’s government for failing to keep the 2019 poll promises made to the youths.

JMM Rajya Sabha member Mahua Maji, who led the agitation in Ranchi, however, termed the Yuva Akrosh Rally as a ploy to disturb Jharkhand.

“We are holding a peaceful march against the central government as it has been denying the state its outstanding legitimate dues. We have ₹1.36 lakh crore of coal royalty pending with the Centre and the chief minister has urged the central government several times to give that money to the state government. I myself raised this issue in the Rajya Sabha. But till now Jharkhand has not received its rightful money,” said Maji.

She said that if this money was given to the Jharkhand government, all the youths here could get employment from that money.

“Instead of giving rights to Jharkhand, the BJP government at the Centre is instigating the youth of the state to disturb the peace,” alleged Maji.

She also accused the BJP of attempting to topple the elected government in Jharkhand.

Ranchi police had to lob tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse BJYM workers who broke barricades during a protest rally against the “injustice” meted out by the Hemant Soren government and its “failure to fulfil election promises”.

The protesters gathered in the rally and tried to march towards the chief minister’s residence, which is located near the Morabadi Ground — the venue of the protest programme — and the police baton-charged them.

The BJP leaders claimed several workers were injured during the baton charge by the police with party leader Amar Kumar Bauri claiming that the “time has come to wipe out the JMM-led coalition from the state”.