BJP expert in spreading hatred, spent Rs 500 cr on campaign against me, alleges Jharkhand CM
Ranchi (PTI): A day after Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren charged the BJP with "launching a whisper campaign to influence voters", he hit out at the saffron camp again on Tuesday, alleging that the opposition party in the state spent over Rs 500 crore in "malicious campaigns" against him.
Soren also accused the BJP of being an "expert in fulfilling political ambitions by inciting hatred among people".
He claimed that Jharkhand's culture does not allow such "malicious campaigns".
"It is the easiest thing for leaders to fulfil their political ambitions by inciting hateful feelings in you. This campaign is the easiest and the BJP is an expert in it. But I am from Jharkhand - our culture doesn't allow this and I will never do this," Soren claimed in a post on X.
"According to one estimate, the BJP has spent more than Rs 500 crore on shadow, whisper and hate campaigns against me," the JMM leader alleged.
Soren also accused the BJP of bringing in people from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bengal to campaign against him and allegedly instil fear among voters on roads and intersections during the election period.
"People from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Bengal are seen discussing the elections on roads and intersections in the constituencies where elections are being held. This is BJP's new gimmick, called the 'whisper campaign'. For this, over Rs 1 crore has been spent in each constituency. They will not come and talk about their work, instead, they will scare you with lies," Soren had said, sharing a video of the alleged campaign.
He said there was "no truth to the whisper campaign".
"We haven't collected donations by playing with the lives of the countrymen through electoral bonds, fake medicines, or fake vaccines. Therefore, I appeal to all of you, the residents of Jharkhand, to openly campaign for me today and tomorrow, not in a 'whisper' — because it is not in the nature of Jharkhandis to be afraid," he claimed.
"Don't whisper, speak boldly!" Soren said, sharing a video in which youths sitting in a choupal are seen praising the BJP and criticising the JMM for alleged corruption.
Earlier, Soren had accused the BJP of running "shadow campaigns" to tarnish both his and the state's reputation.
He had alleged that the saffron party spent crores of rupees on various social media platforms and created "95,000 WhatsApp groups" to campaign against the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand.
In response, the BJP claimed that these allegations reflected "Soren's desperation, frustration, and fear of losing the elections".
Earlier, the Jharkhand Police had registered FIRs against the operators of two social media accounts for allegedly running campaigns aimed at "maligning" the image of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the state.
These FIRs were filed after Soren and the ruling JMM accused the BJP of running "shadow" campaigns against them.
Soren had previously claimed that "dictators may possess billions of rupees," but he believed it was "better to stick to principles than win through unfair means."
The CM also claimed that while the BJP "spent crores of rupees to tarnish his image", he himself had "not spent a single rupee on any promotion", which, he said, could be verified by checking the ad library of any social media platform.
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Delhi government flags air emergency asks PM Modi to authorize artificial rain
New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and authorize artificial rain to combat the severe air pollution engulfing the national capital. Calling it a "medical emergency," Rai stressed that artificial rain is the only immediate solution to address the worsening smog.
"Smog has blanketed North India, and artificial rain is necessary to clear the air. PM Modi should take responsibility and act immediately," Rai said during a press conference on Tuesday.
The air quality in Delhi has deteriorated to dangerous levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting a staggering 494 in the 'severe plus' category. Some air monitoring stations have even recorded readings of 500, the maximum measurable level. Despite the strict enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) IV, which imposes the toughest anti-pollution measures, the city's air remains hazardous.
Rai criticized Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav for not addressing the issue adequately, alleging that the latter had ignored multiple letters regarding artificial rain. "I have written to the Environment Minister in August, September, October, and today, but there has been no action. If the Central government cannot take steps, the Minister should resign," he said.
Rai called on PM Modi to instruct Yadav to convene a meeting on artificial rain, demanding either a concrete solution or approval for implementing the measure.
The Delhi government has already taken several steps to mitigate pollution. These include:
- Banning BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in the city.
- Prohibiting trucks and diesel buses from entering Delhi.
- Closing schools for certain grades.
- Staggering office timings to reduce peak traffic congestion.
Rai also stated that the government is considering implementing the odd-even vehicle scheme again and is evaluating the feasibility of a work-from-home policy for offices.
"We are doing everything within our capacity, but reducing vehicles on the roads will only be effective after the smog clears," he explained.
Rai’s appeal follows the Supreme Court's directive on Monday, which instructed authorities in Delhi-NCR not to lift GRAP Stage 4 pollution curbs even if AQI levels fall below 450. The court emphasized the need for continued measures until the air quality improves significantly.
