The Opposition BJP has asked the Hemant government to frame policies for sustainable mining to create livelihood opportunities for migrant labourers but not block the Centre’s move to auction coal blocks for commercial mining.

The BJP’s retort, which was backed by an assurance that it would back the state government on any move to ensure sustainable mining, comes in the wake of the state government filing a writ petition in Supreme Court last week challenging the auction of 41 coal blocks, 20 of which is in Jharkhand.

Addressing a press conference at its party office, BJP legislature party leader Babulal Marandi said they were unable to understand why the state government had challenged the auction in the Supreme Court.

“The CM says there are issues of unsolved displacement, issues of land, unfulfilled compensation problems etc for years which needs to be addressed first. Who is stopping him? But why try to pose legal hurdle for auction? Ultimately, it is Jharkhand which will get the major share of revenues from royalty,” he said.

Marandi, who was accompanied by state BJP chief cum Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash, said that all the issues raised by Hemant were state subjects on which the Centre had no role to play. “Displacement and compensation settlement, rehabilitation, giving jobs, etc are state subjects. He should focus on addressing those. We demand that he form a policy mandating that 85per cent locals should be employed in all the mines that are auctioned, give land for land, pay more compensation and so on. BJP will support him in the Assembly to pass such laws,” he added.

Taking a dig at JMM patriarch Shibu Soren and the Congress, which is an ally of the state government, Marandi, who was Jharkhand’s first chief minister, said, “When Shibu Soren was coal minister during the Congress-led UPA’s tenure in 2004, everyone knows the kind of scams which occurred. But all that is passé now under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime. Auctioning is a transparent process and commercial mining will help the country in saving its coal import costs. The state government should work in national interest.”

Ready for by-polls

Prakash, who has been elected Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand, said the BJP is ready for byelections in Dumka and Bermo. Of the two, Dumka is expected to go for polls first as it was vacated in January by Hemant Soren who decided to retain the Barhait seat after forming the government.

Prakash said that Sunday’s virtual rally by Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan was a huge success, which he added was a testimony to state government’s waning popularity. “The party is ready for bypolls and will decimate UPA,” he said.