Jharkhand CM fires fresh salvo against Hemant Soren

In a fresh land grab salvo against Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Monday accused the JMM working president of purchasing 200 acres of land in Pakur district and "looting" tribal land.

The allegation came a week after Soren, a former chief minister, served a legal notice to Das demanding an apology for accusing him of land grabbing within seven days.

"Hemant Soren has purchased a 200-acre land in Pakur district, and the information has been given by BJP workers and the people of the district. They are looting the land of the tribal people," Das alleged.

"As per the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, those hailing from Bokaro cannot purchase land in Santhal Pargana region. But that has happened," the chief minister told a public meeting here.

The Soren family hails from Bokaro.

Soren had on September 15 served a legal notice to Das, demanding an apology within seven days for accusing him of land grab earlier.

Describing the JMM leader's legal notice as ridiculous, the BJP had said it would respond to one legal notice with 10 legal notices.

Praising the people of the Santhal Pargana for giving the BJP a chance to serve them in 2014, Das said all the developments took place in the region during the last five years by the "double engine" BJP-led governments at the state and Centre.

The chief minister said the state government has planned to set up a food processing plant and a cold storage in the Santhal Pargana region.