MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Aug 25: JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya on Thursday demanded disqualification of and criminal proceedings against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and other BJP leaders who claimed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has disqualified Chief Minister Hemant Soren in the office of profit case.
“We ask the Election Commission to not only disqualify those BJP leaders (Nishikant Dubey and others) but start a criminal case against them for insulting the Constitution by announcing EC’s opinion without any authority,” Bhattacharya told reporters.
The ECI is learnt to have sent its report to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on office of profit case against Hemant Soren for allegedly securing a stone mining lease in his name during his tenure as CM and Mines Minister. While the Governor is yet to announce his decision, BJP leaders have declared Soren as guilty.
Holding a press conference along with JMM MP Vijay Hansda, Bhattacharya said that the country got its Constitution in 1950 and it ensures such responsibility to responsible institutions. The Governor is authorised to announce such decisions, he said.
“How can BJP leaders reveal what is in the ECI’s report without any authority when even the Governor, on his return from Delhi at Ranchi airport, said that he is not even aware whether the ECI has sent any report? He said let him reach the Raj Bhawan first.
“Or, is it that the ECI’s report was drafted at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg (BJP’s head office in Delhi) or at the state BJP office? It is an outright offence and it won’t be tolerated. It’s ECI’s responsibility to protect its authority and take corrective actions. It has always been fair but should have contradicted the BJP leader’s remark today,” he said.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had earlier in the day remarked that Hemant Soren should call for mid-term polls on moral grounds. The assembly should be dissolved, Dubey said. Even former Chief Minister of BJP Raghubar Das said that Soren is in trouble due to his misdeeds.
“We are ready to fight with BJP anytime. We believe in the power of people. We are here because they wanted us here. We will continue and complete the term and fulfil our commitments to the people,” Bhattacharya said declining to name an alternate leader in case Hemant Soren is disqualified by the Governor.
JMM MP Vijay Hansda said, “BJP leaders by announcing ECI’s verdict without any knowledge and authority forces us to think that these institutions of respect have been weakened. We believe in the rule of law and power of the people.”
