In Jharkhand Assembly elections manifesto, INDIA bloc counters BJP’s promises with enhanced reservation among 7 guarantees

Attacking the Centre, Hemant Soren said three guarantees have been reiterated. “We are committed to bringing domicile policy based on 1932 as the cut-off year for land records, implementation of Sarna Dharma Code, and reservations for the OBC, SC, and ST communities at 27 per cent, 12 per cent, and 28 per cent respectively. These were all passed via the outgoing Assembly, but the Centre is sitting over these issues. We will pass it again and send it to them.”

Soren said along with this the INDIA bloc is “committed to protecting the interests of the minorities in the state”.

While launching the BJP’s Jharkhand election manifesto on Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) without affecting the existing reservation system in the state.

Also Read | Tribals will be exempted from UCC wherever it is brought: Amit Shah in Jharkhand

Accusing JMM chief Soren of creating confusion about the Uniform Civil Code, Shah also said tribals would be exempted from UCC wherever it is implemented in the country. “Hemant Babu, UCC will definitely be introduced in Jharkhand… but we will keep tribals away from UCC. We will not violate the rights and laws of any Adivasi through UCC,” he said.

Countering the Bharatiya Janata Party’s move, which has promised two free gas cylinders in a year and the remaining ones at Rs 500 each, the INDIA bloc said it would provide the cylinders at Rs 450 each to the state’s people. The alliance also said it would give seven kilogram of grain per person belonging to the underprivileged section. Under the National Food Security Act, families in Jharkhand are eligible for 35 kg of grains for yellow card holders, and 5 kg of grain per person for those with red cards.

He also promised 10 lakh jobs to men and women of the state. In 2019, before coming to power, the JMM had pledged to create 5 lakh government jobs by 2021. Sources in the current JMM-led government have maintained that CM Soren has handed over 1.64 lakh appointment letters in his tenure of which 34,000 are for government jobs.

On the health front, Soren said each family will get Rs 15 lakh of insurance in Jharkhand if his government comes to power.

While releasing the INDIA bloc manifesto, Hemant Soren also said if the coalition government comes to power, they will open engineering colleges, universities, and medical colleges in each of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. In addition, he said his government would give Rs 3200 as the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy per quintal procurement.