Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP and gave a call to uproot the party from the Centre in 2024 to safeguard the existence of tribals and the marginalised.

While launching the third phase of Aapki Yojana, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar (linking beneficiaries with welfare schemes and addressing grievances on their doorsteps) in his Assembly constituency at Barhait in Sahibganj district, Soren accused the BJP of using governors as political tools.

“We have passed several bills, including one for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs. But the governor is sitting on it. Jharkhand is not alone. Several states have approached the Supreme Court against the governors for sitting on bills."

“The Centre has amended the forest conservation law putting the forest dwellers and tribals' existence at threat. It is time for the masses to oust the BJP not only from states but also from the Centre. Otherwise, the identity of adivasis and the marginalised would be at stake,” said Soren.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have already approached the Supreme Court against the governors delaying assent to bills passed by Assemblies. Several bills sent by the Jharkhand Assembly have been returned by the governor.

Soren said the Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution favouring a separate Sarna religion code for adivasis and sent it to the Centre in November 2020 but no action had been taken on it yet.

He said the BJP, which ruled Jharkhand for the maximum period, had not implemented any welfare scheme.