Chief minister Hemant Soren has publicly shared his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding outstanding dues of coal royalties for the poll-bound state.
Hemant Soren had since Monday been raising this issue at every public function accusing BJP as “gang of capitalist and traders” who have been deliberately denying state of its “legitimate dues”.
At public rallies, Hemant Soren argued that if the Centre pays interest on the overdue funds, the state government could double the monthly cash assistance for women from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000.
JMM insiders claimed that the timing of the letter and sharing it on public domain (X) is part of a “carefully-crafted political strategy” to create an alternative narrative to BJP’s “Bangladeshi infiltration”.
“BJP is harping on Bangladeshi infiltration aiming at communal polarization. Our carefully-crafted political strategy is to polarize voters on income basis. We want to put forth the fact about the Centre’s denying our rights despite Supreme Court rulings and if we had got even interest on that amount we would have passed on the same benefits to our poor masses,” said a Ranchi-based JMM central committee member.
The leader added: “The people should know the truth before the Prime Minister arrives in Hazaribagh tentatively on October 2 for the BJP’s Parivartan Yatra,” added the leader.
While sharing his letter to the Prime Minister, Hemant Soren said: “When we ask for our rights, we are sent to jail but we are prepared for every sacrifice for our rights.”
Hemant Soren was in judicial custody for nearly five months after arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on alleged money-laundering charges in January 31 and was released on bail in June.
“We are neither demanding special status like some BJP alliance-ruled states nor are we demanding a large share in the Union budget. We only want our rights in the form of outstanding coal royalties of ₹1.36 lakh crore.”
In the letter, Soren reiterated that the state government’s demand detailing the outstanding dues are the state’s rightful demands, adding that these are only for justice and not privileges.
Soren had written a similar letter to the Prime Minister in 2022 and has referred to it in Monday’s letter.
The chief minister further underlined that the outstanding amount could help the state in providing better facilities in all sectors including education, health and infrastructure to the tribals and the moolvasis (original inhabitants) of the state in consonance with their identity and customary practices.
Soren requested Prime Minister Modi that the Centre should take a decision on it soon and become a partner in the development of Jharkhand.
He said: “We will fight for our rights, come what may. It’s the duty of every individual born in Jharkhand to fight for the rights of the state. We will stay united, claim our rightful demands and realise them as was done by our ancestors.”
