RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan.31: Former state education minister Geetashree Oraon, who left Congress two days ago, hinted to work independently for the rights of Jharkhandi people.
Oraon, the daughter of congress ideologue in Jharkhand Kartik Oraon and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Bandi Oraon, was talking to lagatar24.com this afternoon and sharing what compelled her to not to continue in the party.
“There is a big communication gap between party high command and grass root level workers. This has caused dominance of non-Jharkhandis in the party. As outsiders are dominating, major issues of Jharkhand are getting neglected. Be it the issue of promoting local languages or the issue of deciding locals for benefit, the party showed its dilly-dallying attitude and often ignored the local interest. Hence, I have decided to work independently,” Oraon said.
Asked what she had planned, Oraon, whose mother Sumati Oraon, remained union minister of state for welfare in 1987-88 before working as union minister of state for environment and forest in Congress government in the union, expressed her interest in converting the dream of his father into reality.
“My father has planned to establish a Shakti Niketan on the border of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in the same line Shanti Niketan was established by Rabindra Nath Tagore in Purulia when Arjun Singh was chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. His dream was to impart education at par with Cambridge and Oxford to the tribal. His dream is still in my mind. Though tough and difficult to convert into reality without government support, I am intentional for that,” Oraon said.
Asked whether she sees any hope in the new Jharkhand-in-charge of All India Congress Committee, she said: “The moment he landed he was surrounded by the same group which caused damage to the congress party.”
On the question of any change in ideology of the party, she said: “During my father’s era, people hardly used to talk about personal gain in the party and I was in the party with the same spirit. I would have resigned that time only when I was denied a ticket to contest assembly election if my spirit had been different from my father’s. But recently, I started observing people coming to the party with self interest and newcomers getting a big position.”
Asked whether she would like to return to the party if some senior congress party leader approaches her she said: “Presently I would like to work independently.”
