BJP raising Article 370 to divert attention from 'monumental failures' in Jharkhand: Hemant Soren

The BJP is raising the issue of abrogation of Article 370 provisions in the run up to the Jharkhand Assembly polls as a "ploy" to divert people's attention from "monumental failures" of the Raghubar Das government, JMM working president Hemant Soren alleged on Sunday.

The former Jharkhand chief minister's sharp attack comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah referred to Article 370 abrogation while listing the achievements of the NDA government 2.0 in their public addresses in the poll-bound state.

Soren said the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will raise people's issues in the campaign and promised that if voted to power, his government will ensure 75 per cent reservation for the youth of Jharkhand in private jobs.

In an interview to PTI, he said if JMM forms the government, it will ensure five lakh jobs within one year, unemployment allowance to those who are jobless, reserve government tender up to Rs 25 crore for people from the state, implement 50 per cent reservation for women in jobs and 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Asked about the BJP aggressively raising the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the nationalistic fervour around it, Soren said a government which fails to address economic and social crises and key issues that affect everyday lives of citizens, resorts to "creating sharp polarisation in the society".

"Lightning doesn't strike a place twice and similarly the BJP cannot fool the people all the time. Raising the issue of Article 370 during state assembly polls campaign is nothing but the BJP's ploy to divert people's attention from its monumental failures in governance in Jharkhand," the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly said.

Modi might have been successful in securing an NDA victory based on the post-Pulwama and Balakot nationalistic fervour, but the people of Jharkhand have had enough of this "apathetic" state government and are waiting to throw it out in the upcoming assembly polls, he claimed.

Last week, Union Home Minister Shah, while addressing a public meeting in Jharkhand, had said Prime Minister Modi showed Pakistan its place by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A, and established that J&K is an integral part of India.

Earlier, Modi, while speaking in Ranchi, had also referred to the government's step of creating the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, while abrogating Article 370 provisions.

Asked whether an opposition grand alliance will be firmed up for the assembly polls, Soren said his party's sole aim is to free Jharkhand's 3.5 crore people from the "insensitive" BJP government.

"For this purpose, we are willing to coordinate with all like minded parties to collectively fight the BJP and its divisive policies. JMM was instrumental in the fight to achieve Jharkhand as a separate state, and if necessary, will again engage in the struggle to ensure Jharkhand shines bright on the nation's map," he said