Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) central general secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and former chief ministers Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das, accusing the party of viewing every tribal, indigenous person and Jharkhand resident raising questions over their rights with suspicion.
Pandey questioned whether, in the BJP’s political narrative, every tribal and indigenous person, every Jharkhandi and anyone questioning policies of the Centre was being branded a “mental Naxal”.
He said the use of a serious term like Naxalism to target an elected government and its chief minister reflected the BJP’s “political frustration”. People in Jharkhand, he said, were raising democratic demands over their rights to land, forests, water, minerals and employment, and describing such voices as Naxalism was an insult to the people of the State.
Pandey said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders should understand the plight of villages whose land had been acquired for mining, forests had been destroyed and generations had faced displacement before citing figures related to Jharkhand’s mineral resources.
“The question is not merely about revenue or investment, but about how much justice the people of Jharkhand have received from the State’s mineral wealth,” he said.
Reacting to former chief minister Raghubar Das’s remarks on the MMDR amendment, Pandey alleged that the BJP was trying to divert attention from the basic issues by focusing on figures such as Rs 11,000 crore and tax percentages.
“If mineral resources are benefiting the State, why do mining-affected villages still lack adequate drinking water, healthcare, education, roads and employment?” he asked.
He said the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) mechanism would serve its purpose only if its benefits actually reached communities affected by mining.
Pandey clarified that the JMM was not opposed to mining or industrial development. However, he said the party’s demands were clear: respect for land rights, protection of forests, safeguarding tribal rights, employment opportunities for local youth and priority for Jharkhand’s interests in the exploitation of its mineral resources.
“Jharkhand is no longer merely a land from which minerals are extracted. Its people want a fair and just share in their own resources,” Pandey said.
Appealing to the BJP to stop equating dissent with Naxalism, he said the party should instead understand the grievances of Jharkhand’s people.
Addressing Babulal Marandi, Pandey said linking political disagreement with Naxalism reflected a “weakness in political language” and not any weakness among the people of Jharkhand.
“The people are watching everything, and in a democracy, the final verdict will be theirs,” he said.
