Jharkhandis would have had to struggle for long had Vajpayee not formed state: Ex-CM Champai

Jamshedpur (Jharkhand): BJP leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday said that the people of the state would have had to wait and struggle for many more years, and maybe give more sacrifices, had former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee not granted statehood.

Paying homage to Vajpayee on his 100th birth anniversary, Soren, in a post on X, said that the former PM had fulfilled his promise of creating a separate Jharkhand despite strong opposition from the RJD government of the then undivided Bihar.

"While addressing an election rally in Dumka in 1999, Atal ji had promised, 'if you help form my government, I will gift you a separate state'. And he honoured the decades-long movement of the people of Jharkhand by announcing the creation of a separate Jharkhand soon after BJP formed the government at the Centre.

"People of Jharkhand might have had to wait and struggle for many more years, maybe give more sacrifices, had the BJP government under Atal ji's leadership not formed Jharkhand state, particularly considering the stance of previous Congress government over the demand," Soren said.

The BJP leader said that Vajpayee had a deep bond with Jharkhand, especially Jamshedpur and had visited the state several times, drawing large crowds to his rallies.

Soren said that Vajpayee had initiated several development projects in the state.

The former CM said that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was formed under the leadership of Vajpayee in 1999, accelerating the development of tribal communities across the country.

He said that the Santhal community struggled tirelessly for the inclusion of Santhali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Despite repeated rejection of the demand by previous Congress regimes, the Vajpayee-led government finally granted constitutional recognition to Santhali language (with Ol Chiki script) in 2003, Soren said.

"Atal ji had a clear vision for Jharkhand, particularly for the welfare of the tribal communities. He had introduced several schemes for their betterment. Today, however, rampant corruption is prevalent in the state. Mountains of cash are being found and the tribal population is fast declining as infiltrators are occupying our land. Wherever Atal ji is today, he would be sad to see this," the former CM said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, however, is working to fulfill Atal ji's dreams. PM Jan Man Yojana, launched last year for tribal welfare, and the 88 Eklavya Model Schools being built across Jharkhand will help educate and empower tribal communities, realising Atal ji's vision, Soren added.