Ranchi: Jharkhand BJP president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Hemant Soren government, alleging large-scale illegal sand mining across state with active involvement of sand mafia, police and state government.
Marandi said illegal sand mining was openly being carried out in Jamshedpur’s Bhuiyandih area from Subarnarekha river using boats. Sand is filled in sacks, stored on riverbanks and later transported, he alleged.
He accused state government of shielding mafia and said illegal earnings from sand were reason why Hemant government was deliberately not implementing PESA Act. Questioning chief minister’s stand on tribal identity, Marandi said a leader who fails to implement a law meant to protect tribal rights has no moral right to call himself a tribal.
Marandi claimed that despite a High Court ban on sand mining, illegal extraction was continuing unchecked. He said while government seeks time before court, it allows mafia to loot people by selling sand at inflated prices outside. For what he termed a “mafia government”, this period has become a golden opportunity, he alleged.
Challenging chief minister, Marandi said if illegal mining was not happening with government’s consent, Hemant Soren should prove his intent by stopping sand loot and taking action against mafia. He claimed chief minister would not be able to do so as government and mafia have become dependent on each other for corruption. He alleged Jharkhand’s resources were being eaten away layer by layer like termites.
Calling it state’s misfortune, Marandi said people who sought votes in name of jal, jungle and zameen were now putting Jharkhand’s natural wealth at risk due to greed and self-interest. He said while fodder scam had taken place in a neighbouring state earlier, Hemant Soren had gone a step ahead by turning sand into a source of massive corruption.
Marandi alleged that despite High Court directions, government was repeatedly seeking adjournments to avoid implementing PESA rules. He said when he raises these issues, chief minister dismisses them by saying opposition only talks about sand, coal, stone and liquor.
He countered that if these resources were being used to generate black money and loot state, questions would naturally be raised on them. He said if his allegations were wrong, chief minister should publicly refute them with concrete examples, adding that he was ready to admit any mistake if proven wrong. He warned that people eventually settle all accounts, asserting that just like fodder scam, sand scam too would face accountability.