Ranchi (PTI): Jharkhand BJP president Aditya Sahu on Friday alleged that illegal coal trade was flourishing in the state under the patronage of the JMM-led government.
Addressing reporters at the party office here, Sahu claimed that police station in-charges and district administrations in areas where illegal coal trading was taking place were involved and being protected by the state government.
He said Jharkhand did not belong to any party or family but to its 3.5 crore people.
Sahu was responding to Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s remarks made at a programme in Koderma on Thursday that the mineral-rich state contributed to the country’s development with coal, iron, mica and other resources but remained backward, forcing its people to live in poverty.
The BJP leader said if Jharkhand provided coal, other states contributed other resources and such an exchange would continue.
He demanded that the chief minister should explain what his government had done over the last six years, claiming that only false promises had been made to the people.
Rejecting Sahu's allegations, the Congress, an alliance partner of the JMM-led government in the state, said before pointing fingers at others, BJP leaders should introspect themselves.
"How the BJP has suddenly become so concerned about traders, when during their own rule, the state's resources were openly looted and illegal coal trade received political patronage. Even today, BJP MPs and leaders' names continue to surface in coal trade matters. The BJP leadership should first answer for this," Satish Paul Munjani, Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee media chairman, alleged.
He added that the allegations leveled by the BJP state president against Hemant Soren are nothing but political desperation.
"The Congress and the state government are committed to Jharkhand's development. Each and every misinformation by the BJP will be countered," Munjani said.
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Hassan: The driver of a tipper reportedly died in Nettekere village of Belur taluk after suffering an electric shock when the vehicle came in contact with electric wire while emptying the sand transported in it.
The deceased driver, Dileep (33) of Hanumanahalli in Holenarasipura taluk, is said to have failed to notice the wire above the vehicle while tipping the sand in the truck. Immediately as the wire touched the tipper, however, Dileep suffered a shock and is said to have died on the spot.
Belur Police, who were informed of the incident, visited the spot and are learned to have held an inspection.
