The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) marked its 46th foundation day on Sunday night with a grand celebration at Gandhi Maidan in Dumka. The event witnessed the passing of a significant 50-point resolution, in which the party made several bold demands, including the complete rejection of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
In the resolution, the party reaffirmed its stance on these controversial national policies, stating, “The Citizenship Amendment Act, Uniform Civil Code and National Register of Citizens should be completely rejected in Jharkhand.”
The JMM also highlighted the need for the strict implementation of the Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act and Santal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act to protect tribal land rights. Additionally, the party demanded that the central government immediately pay the Rs 1.36 lakh crore dues owed to Jharkhand.
During his address to the massive crowd, Chief Minister Hemant Soren sharply criticized the Union government, accusing it of “cheating” the people of Jharkhand in the Union budget. He expressed his concerns about the backwardness of the state despite its significant contribution to India’s economy, particularly through mineral resources.
Soren lamented that Jharkhand remains one of the most underdeveloped states in the country and emphasized that despite the state’s contribution, it still struggles to receive the resources and support it deserves. He said, “We do not get anything, while we contribute a lot. We have to fight even for our rights.”
The Chief Minister further criticized the Union budget, calling it a favor to the wealthy while offering little relief to the poor. He pointed out that while rebates were announced for income tax, the growing inflation and unchanged GST rates would still hurt the common people. Soren accused the Union government of using “jumla” tactics like the GYAN (Garib, Yuva, Annadata, Nari) scheme, which promises loans rather than grants to help people.
Soren also took a dig at the opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), regarding their stance on welfare programs. He reminded the audience that Jharkhand was the first state to provide Rs 2,500 per month to women. “They accuse us of distributing ‘revri’ (freebies), but now they’ve promised the same amount in Delhi. Is this not ‘revri’? Whatever they do is right, but when we do it, it becomes wrong,” he quipped.
The resolution and the speeches made during the celebration reflect the JMM’s firm position on various national issues, as well as its focus on safeguarding tribal rights and seeking a fair share of resources for Jharkhand’s development.
