Ranchi. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of “inciting the people of the state in the name of caste and religion”. Soren claimed that the BJP leaders currently visible in the state will not be seen after the assembly elections later this year. Soren was addressing a government function in Ranchi, where he waived agricultural loans of Rs 400 crore of about 1.77 lakh farmers of the state. Earlier, the government had waived agricultural loans of up to Rs 50,000 of about 4.73 lakh farmers.
Soren said, “Earlier, the government had waived agricultural loans up to Rs 50,000. Then, it decided to waive agricultural loans up to Rs 2 lakh.” He accused the BJP government at the Center of “ruining Jharkhand’s ‘water, forest and land’ for more than 20 years.” He alleged that BJP leaders are “roaming around” the state as elections approach. Soren said, “They (BJP leaders) are roaming around Jharkhand as elections approach. Many faces, which you would not have seen before, are visible now. They will appear only once and after that they will disappear.”
He alleged, “They are spreading communal tension and inciting people in the name of caste and religion. Beware of them.” Soren alleged that “through the three agricultural laws, the Centre had made preparations to sell the farmers of the country to traders.” He said, “Farmers protested against the agricultural laws for about a year and forced the government to withdraw them.” Targeting the Centre, Soren said that it does not have money to double the income of farmers, increase the minimum support price (MSP) and empower women, but when it came to waiving the loans of its “capitalist friends”, there was no shortage of money.
Soren said his government has worked for every section of society and fulfilled their basic need of roti, kapda and makaan. He said, “We have waived agricultural loans, electricity dues and given free electricity up to 200 units.” He accused the BJP of “troubling” his government for two years. He said, “When they failed in their attempt, they put me behind bars on false charges.”