Ranchi/Koderma: Taking a dig at the Union budget tabled on Feb 1, chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said that it is likely to hurt the poor, farmers and the country at large.Talking to reporters briefly in Ranchi after the cabinet meeting, he said, “Going by this year’s budget, I wonder how much funds will be utilised for the country’s development. The situation is such that the budget may lead the country towards starvation.”He added, “The farming sector, which is one of the core foundations of this country, will face dire consequences as it is being opened to foreign markets. When markets for foreign food items and farm equipment are opened, do you think our farmers will be able to compete effectively in these markets? These steps and policies taken by the Centre will have a negative effect on the poor, farmers, labour class, small businesses, tribals, Dalits and so on.”Responding to Congress’s allegations about LoP Rahul Gandhi being denied the opportunity to speak in Parliament, he said, “What is new in this? That’s been the norm. The current regime doesn’t believe in the Constitution and the parliamentary norms.”Hemant, who recently visited Assam to attend a tribal rally, said the condition of Adivasis there is very bad. “It feels like they are still facing gulami,” he said.While speaking at a rally in Koderma earlier in the day, he accused the Centre of “systematically” neglecting Jharkhand while exploiting its vast mineral wealth.“The state will not hesitate to retaliate if such neglect continues. If Jharkhand withholds its mineral resources, the entire country will be engulfed in darkness,” he said.Hemant was addressing the rally in Koderma after inducting former zila parishad chairperson Shalini Gupta and her supporters into the JMM fold.Talking specifically about Koderma, he said unplanned mica mining forced residents to migrate for work and contributed to high rates of child labour. “By keeping the region underdeveloped, the central powers ensured a steady supply of cheap labour for metropolitan infrastructure,” Hemant claimed.The CM then spoke about his govt’s development agenda, identifying education as the primary tool to combat economic and intellectual weakness. He touted the success of the Chief Minister’s Schools of Excellence and the initiative to send local students abroad for higher education as the state’s flagship schemes, while also announcing the establishment of Ambedkar University in Chatra district.In a direct jab at BJP’s fiscal policies, Hemant equated the opposition as “takers rather than givers”, contrasting their approach with his ‘Maiyan Samman Yojana’.Reacting to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said the Union budget takes care of all classes and would pave the way for a developed and self-reliant India.
