JOIN USJharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren kicks up row over 'Mann Ki Baat' dig at PM Modi
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren stirred up a hornet's nest with his comments on Prime Narendra Modi's telephonic conversation with him after he accused Modi of "doing only Mann Ki Baat".
Soren was slammed by a number of BJP leaders, who accused him of lacking the basic courtesy expected from a person holding the Chief Minister's office. Twitter was inundated with comments critical of him as well as the Prime Minister's way of addressing Mamta Banerjee as "Didi O Didi" during the election campaign in West Bengal.
A number of chief ministers from BJP and NDA allies took to social media to condemn Soren's tweets and advise him to eschew "playing politics".
The reaction that got maximum traction was from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who displayed his "great respect" for the Jharkhand chief minister, nevertheless felt "such level of politics would only weaken our nation."
JMM also countered the attack on Soren reminding how Modi had attacked former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2013 saying, "Manmohan Singh will not be able to answer because except for theft, loot what they have done for the nation."
Modi had dialled Soren on Thursday along with Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha and LGs of Puducherry and Jammu & Kashmir about the Covid related situation in their states and UT. Even on Friday, the prime minister spoke to chief ministers of Manipur, Tripura and Sikkim on Covid related situations.
After the chat with Modi, Soren tweeted "today honourable Prime Minister made a telephone call. He only did his Mann Ki Baat (spoke his mind). It would have been better had he talked about what is to be done (kaam ki baat) and listened to about it."
BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh angrily reacted to Soren's tweet saying, "This is the level to which some politicians are stooping. PM calls & has detailed talk regarding Covid-19 crisis & this CM tweets now. Lacks minimum grace required for the position he holds."
Party communication department chief Anil Baluni went hammer and tongs saying the JMM leader has neither knowledge of the country's federal structure nor does he appreciate the basic courtesy.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi called Soren a "failed CM".
"Failure in governance. Failure in tackling COVID in the state. Failure to assist people. To hide his failures he demeans the office he holds. Wake up and work, Mr Soren. The clock is ticking," Marandi tweeted.
Assam Chief Minister Sabananda Sonowal tagged Soren on Twitter to tell him " it's really unfortunate that you are trying to politicise the Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji's concern and work for people. PM Modi ji's every effort and action are only for the people and the Nation."
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio disagreed with Soren and hoped the Jharkhand Chief Minister retracts his statement and said, "In my experience as Chief Minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been sensitive to the concerns of the states, particularly of the Northeast states." Rio's party NDPP is part of NDA alliance.
Manipur CM N Biren Singh from BJP also said whenever the PM calls, it has been always assuring and advising Soren "let the collective spirit be our guiding light."
BJP-led Arunachal Pradesh CM Prema Khandu tagged Soren to say "it is time to stand together rising above differences to defeat the pandemic."
Mizoram CM Zoramthanga from Mizo National Front, an NDA ally tagged Soren and praised the Prime Minister as "active, attentive and very responsive" and that he finds it "quite comforting, getting his calls, inquiring about my state's Covid-19 situation....."
Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Soren of behaving in a "very petty way" and having "lowered the dignity" of the Chief Minister's chair and insisted that Soren's tweet goes against the basic decorum.