BJP once called inflation ‘dayan’, now it appears to have become their ‘bhaujai’: Soren

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over price rise and unemployment, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said that the saffron party had once termed inflation as ‘dayan’ (witch) but it appears to have become the party’s ‘bhaujai’ (sister-in-law).

Addressing a public rally as part of ‘Khatiyani Johar Yatra’ in Chatra district, Soren alleged that the BJP ruled Jharkhand for 20 years but did not let any tribal CM complete his term, and when another tribal is now at the helm of the state, the saffron party is trying to topple his government.

“The party, which made a hue and cry over the slightest rise in prices (during UPA rule), is now silent when an LPG cylinder costs over Rs 1,000 and a litre of petrol more than Rs 100. At that time, they saw inflation as ‘dayan’ (witch). Now, it appears that inflation has become their ‘bhaujai’ (sister-in-law),” Soren said.

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The CM alleged that the Opposition in the state is hatching a conspiracy to topple his government as it does not want Jharkhand to progress.

“They (BJP) ruled Jharkhand for 20 years but the state remained one of the most backward in the country. They also ruled Gujarat and Maharashtra but those states went ahead while Jharkhand was pushed back as no tribal was allowed to complete his term as the CM.

“The first chief minister of Jharkhand was a tribal but he was removed from the post before completing three years. Later, another tribal was made the CM but he too was not allowed to remain in the post for more than three years. Now, another tribal is at the helm of the state and they are conspiring to topple the government,” he said.

Lashing out at the BJP over “rising unemployment”, he claimed that job opportunities in defence forces, banks and railways have shrunk.

“Earlier, sons of farmers and labourers used to join defence forces but now, Agniveer scheme has been introduced which guarantees employment for only four years.

“Educated children of farmers and labourers used to join banks and railways but now the number of banks has been reduced and railways are being privatised,” he said.

Soren said that when his government had framed the ‘Khatiyan’ or land records-based legislation to provide employment to locals, it was termed unconstitutional, while the Centre also “remains silent” on the Sarna code issue.

Responding to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo claimed that the CM made “hollow remarks” over price rise and unemployment.

“When the Centre reduced the cost of petrol by Rs 10 per litre, and asked the states to reduce VAT to provide more relief to the people, Jharkhand refused to do so.

“Similarly, the Hemant Soren government had promised generation of five lakh jobs every year in Jharkhand but it has only given 357 government jobs in the last three years,” he added.