Some MLAs of the ruling JMM stepped up the heat against their own government on Thursday over illegal mining in Santhal Parganas, seeking chief minister Hemant Soren’s intervention to curb practice in the region that is their stronghoid with the BJP seizing the opportunty to embarass the govenment in the Assembly.
Lobin Hembrom, JMM MLA from Borio in Sahebganj district, staged a protest outside the House on Thursday, holding banners before the start of the day's proceedings. Seizing the opportunity, the Opposition BJP also joined in, hailing his move to speak against the alleged wrongdoings of his own government.
Two other JMM MLAs—Nalin Soren (Shikaripara) and Sita Soren (Jama) _ have already filed questions during the ongoing session to seek the government’s response on the issue.
“Illegal stone and sand mining is rampant in Sahebganj district which both the CM and I represent," said Lobin. "I have been alerting the local district administration and state government on the massive loss to the state ex-chequer as well as damage to local ecology, but to no avail. A few JMM workers, who claim to be representatives of the CM, is engaged in facilitating illegal mining. This must stop or else, I will hit the streets to fight for the people,” he said.
Lobin said that last month, he conducted a surprise inspection of trucks at toll plazas and none had valid challans. “The CM must act before it gets late,” he said, adding that two other JMM MLAs, Sita Soren and Nalin Soren, were also making similar demands.
BJP MLA from Sahebganj Anant Ojha maintained that Lobin’s protest echoed their concerns. “The BJP has been saying time and again that this government, led by JMM, is into illegal mining to fill the party coffers. CM happens to be the minister of mines department and accountability lies with him,” he said.
The chorus of illegal mining also reverberated inside the House. As the day’s session began at 11am, BJP demanded that Speaker Rabindranath Mahto allow an adjournment motion to debate alleged illegal mining. But after the Speaker disapproved, all BJP MLAs descended into the Well of the House, raising slogans against the government.
Mahto chose to continue with House proceedings, and appealed to the protesting MLAs to maintain decorum. But BJP MLAs resorted to a ruckus by whistling and singing "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna" with the Speaker going ahead with Question Hour and Zero Hour amid the din.
In response to a question from AJSU-P MLA Lambodar Mahto (Gomia), state rural development minister Alamgir Alam told the House that the government was trying to hold pending panchayat polls at the earliest. “The process of delimitation, rectification in voter lists is expected to be over by May-June after which elections will be conducted. We are trying to get it done by end of this year,” he said.
Chaibasa MLA Deepak Birua rued the suspension of government procurement centres in his constituency even though many farmers were willing to sell their khariff crops. Chief minister Hemant rplied that the government would direct districts to open procurement centres at all places as suggested by MLAs or their representatives.
Speaker adjourned the House at 12.30pm for lunch amid continued bedlam. The House resumed an hour later but was adjourned again for about an hour after the Speaker convened a meeting of Opposition and ruling party MLAs to end the impasse. After the House reconvened, a customary debate on the state budget tabled on Wednesday was held with the Speaker finally adjourning the House for the day.
