RJD on war path aganst move to amend CNT & SNT

RJD today demanded for a referendum with regard to amendment in decades-old Chhotanagpur and Santal Paragana Tenancy Act (CNT and SPT) proposed by the Jharkhand government while announcing that the opposition parties will gherao the state assembly in protest against the move on November 23.
The Opposition parties including former chief minister Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), RJD, JD(U), Left parties and Samajwadi Party will gherao the state assembly on November 23 to mount pressure on Raghubar Das-led state government to withdraw the proposal, President of RJD, Jharkhand unit, Gautam Sagar Rana said here.
Addressing a press conference here, Rana said CNT and SPT, which were framed about a century ago to protect the interest of tribal community, was soul of adivasis and the government should seek referendum about its proposal to bring about an amendment.

"CNT and SPT are the souls of adivasis, 80 per cent of whom are solely dependent on agriculgure whereas Jharkhand has only 23 per cent agriculture land in the state," he said.
Several villagers, who had taken to streets against the government move to acquire their land forcibly including in Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Khunti districts recently, were killed in police firing and our demand for a judicial enquiry into the firings fell on deaf ear, he alleged.
It would be a "black day" for mineral-rich Jharkhand, had the government succeeded to get the proposal through in the ongoing winter session of the assembly, Rana apprehended.

The RJD leader further threatened that the opposition parties would be forced to call for indefinite state-wide economic blockade, if the proposal was passed through in the current session of the assembly.