Ranchi, State Bureau: Chief Minister Hemant Soren once again took a dig at his political opponents on Thursday. At the loan waiver event held at Prabhat Tara Ground, where loans of over ₹400 crore were waived for 1.77 lakh farmers, he stated, “When we demand our rights, they put us in jail, but Jharkhandis are not afraid of jails or lathis. We fought for Jharkhand, and now we will fight for our rights as well.”
He mentioned that the opposition repeatedly made false accusations, and eventually, they imprisoned him. He warned that those who trouble an honest government with false allegations face the wrath of the poor. With the blessings of the people, he is back again. He also added that elections will soon take place in the state, and the opposition is circling like vultures. Faces will appear that people have never seen before, but after the elections, these faces will disappear. He urged people to stay cautious of such individuals.
Soren pointed out that when jobs are provided to the unemployed, respect is given to women, education is provided to daughters, and work is given to laborers, the opposition goes to court to disrupt these initiatives. He noted that now they are honoring farmers, and he suspects the opposition may go to court over this as well. But they will win all their battles. The BJP government has ruled the state the most since its formation, but has no achievements to its credit. Instead, they have tried to destroy the water, forests, and land, and divided people on religious lines to fuel their political agenda.
The Chief Minister accused the BJP of being businessmen who have so much money that they can buy governments where they lose, citing Maharashtra as an example. He further accused them of changing governments by imprisoning people in false cases where they cannot win. According to him, they do not have money for farmers’ MSP, loan waivers, or pensions, but have plenty to waive off the loans of big capitalists. He remarked that India’s capitalists are so wealthy that it would take a lifetime to count their money. These people talk about doubling farmers’ income but fire bullets and lathis at those very farmers. However, farmers showed their strength by surrounding Delhi for a year, ultimately forcing the government to withdraw the three black laws. This, he said, is the power of the nation’s food providers.
Soren proudly mentioned that when his government came into power, it waived loans of ₹50,000 for farmers, and now, as per their promises, they are waiving loans up to ₹2 lakh. He emphasized that the state is poor, and for their farmers, land is like a bank and crops like ATMs. Farmers take loans to cultivate their fields, but adverse weather often ruins the crops, leaving them in debt.
“Now their eyes are on the forests”
He warned that a forest in Chhattisgarh had been handed over to businessmen, leading to protests. He expressed concern that if these people return to power in Jharkhand, they might hand over the forests here too. The country has been sold off, from assets to forests, with the aim of eradicating the tribals.
“Grow not just vegetables, but also fruits and flowers”
The Chief Minister encouraged farmers to not only grow seasonal grains and vegetables but also fruits and flowers like those grown in Kashmir. He mentioned that their people consume meat, fish, and eggs, which are imported from other states. By engaging in animal husbandry, local farmers can meet the state’s demand and increase their income.
Dignitaries present at the event
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the state’s Finance Minister Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, Labor and Industry Minister Satyanand Bhokta, Agriculture Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, MLA Rajesh Kacchap, MP Dr. Mahua Maji, State Congress President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, former State Congress President Rajesh Thakur, CM’s Additional Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar, and Departmental Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique.
