RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, March 5: Chief Minister Hemant Soren is likely to face a tough challenge from his senior party colleague Lobin Hembrom (70), who represents the Boria constituency in the state assembly, in days to come.
This was reflected in the statement of the senior leader inside the house on Friday and outside the house today and his official residence in Russian Hostel in the HEC Township. He openly criticized the Soren government for its failure in keeping its commitment made before the assembly election and deviating from the party line.
“About six months ago when the corona pandemic came under control, I along with Jagarnath Mahto, Mathura Prasad Mahto and Stephem Marandi, met the chief minister and asked him to make a decision on the local policy underlying its importance for the local people. He heard us and said he will keep on meeting us to discuss the issue to come to a conclusion. “But he neither called us to meet on the matter again nor set any deadline to decide it. Now the situation is that youths have started organizing rallies for its demand as they say without a proper policy in the matter they may not get the benefit of being locals in getting jobs. The CM is saying that he is studying the high court judgment but does not say when his study will compete and when he will announce the policy,” the senior JMM leader Hembrom said in an exclusive talk with Lagatar24.com.
Hembrom expressed his anguish with the way the state government is functioning.
“I have always raised the issue of theft of coal, sand and stone. These are sources of revenue. If it is stolen, how will the state government get revenue? But hardly anything is being done to stop this. This is the reason sand prices are skyrocketing creating problems for the poor in rural areas to construct their houses with the limited amount the government has provided,” the senior JMM leader said.
“Loot of land is on. Time has come to instruct deputy commissioners and circle officers to be strict on the matter as the government sleeps. Our forefathers have sacrificed their lives for the safety of land. When we will not be able to save it, how come we justify our existence among tribal and local people,” Hembrom said.
Asked whether his actions will not put the JMM in trouble he said ‘no’ adding that his ‘intention is to work on the JMM party line’. “JMM had made promises and it is expected from me to keep them the same as the interest of JMM, state and common people who voted for the JMM lies in it. Thus from now, I will keep speaking inside and outside the house on the matter.”
