NEW DELHI: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government has asked the Election Commission (EC) to instruct Union home minister Amit Shah to prevent Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from allegedly misusing official resources and inciting communal tensions during their election campaign activities.
The Jharkhand government called on the EC to ensure an impartial investigation into the actions of BJP leaders and to protect the state’s bureaucracy from undue pressure.
The complaint comes ahead of the elections for the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, with the JMM coalition claiming that the BJP is trying to destabilize the state administration and intimidate local officials.
In a letter to EC, principal secretary of the Jharkhand Cabinet secretariat and vigilance department Vandana Dadel accused the BJP of using inflammatory rhetoric to create communal discord, particularly targeting religious sentiments for political advantage.
The state government highlighted previous instances of officials being removed from election duty during the Lok Sabha polls, which it said contributed to a climate of fear and demoralization among government officers. The letter also demanded that the EC take the “strongest possible action” against political leaders interfering in Jharkhand’s internal affairs.
A key point of contention has been Sarma’s recent statements accusing the JMM-led coalition of facilitating Bangladeshi infiltration into the state. The Jharkhand government warned that such claims are not only misleading but have the potential to disrupt communal harmony and strain internal security. The letter questioned the legality of a chief minister making such allegations during a visit to another state, suggesting it violated the federal structure of India.
“It is well known that the influx of immigrants into India is in large part due to the international border with Bangladesh in Assam. Given the magnitude of the Bangladeshi illegal immigration issue in Assam, the Hon’ble CM of Assam should desist from instigating and fomenting disturbances and disharmony among communities in the state of Jharkhand,” it said.
The letter also mentioned that on June 17, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Sarma were appointed as the BJP’s state election in-charge and have been provided Z-plus security since then. Both leaders engaged in inflammatory and antagonistic remarks against the Jharkhand administration whenever they visited the state, the letter said.
The BJP dismissed the accusations, with Sarma denying any misuse of power. He claimed that the Election Commission would address the matter if the letter was genuine, and urged Jharkhand’s chief minister Hemant Soren to focus on resolving local issues, including providing jobs for the families of youths who died during the excise constable recruitment drive.
“I am not doing any politics. I ask Hemant Soren to reform the state. Give jobs to family members of the youths who died during the excise constable recruitment drive,” the Assam CM said in Ranchi.
The BJP questioned why the JMM government had not filed formal complaints or FIRs against Sarma and Chouhan if their actions were indeed illegal, suggesting that the ruling coalition was acting out of fear of losing the upcoming elections. Leader of the Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri said that political leaders are free to campaign anywhere in India and that the JMM’s accusations were a sign of desperation.
The Jharkhand government called on the EC to ensure an impartial investigation into the actions of BJP leaders and to protect the state’s bureaucracy from undue pressure.
The complaint comes ahead of the elections for the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, with the JMM coalition claiming that the BJP is trying to destabilize the state administration and intimidate local officials.
In a letter to EC, principal secretary of the Jharkhand Cabinet secretariat and vigilance department Vandana Dadel accused the BJP of using inflammatory rhetoric to create communal discord, particularly targeting religious sentiments for political advantage.
The state government highlighted previous instances of officials being removed from election duty during the Lok Sabha polls, which it said contributed to a climate of fear and demoralization among government officers. The letter also demanded that the EC take the “strongest possible action” against political leaders interfering in Jharkhand’s internal affairs.
A key point of contention has been Sarma’s recent statements accusing the JMM-led coalition of facilitating Bangladeshi infiltration into the state. The Jharkhand government warned that such claims are not only misleading but have the potential to disrupt communal harmony and strain internal security. The letter questioned the legality of a chief minister making such allegations during a visit to another state, suggesting it violated the federal structure of India.
“It is well known that the influx of immigrants into India is in large part due to the international border with Bangladesh in Assam. Given the magnitude of the Bangladeshi illegal immigration issue in Assam, the Hon’ble CM of Assam should desist from instigating and fomenting disturbances and disharmony among communities in the state of Jharkhand,” it said.
The letter also mentioned that on June 17, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Sarma were appointed as the BJP’s state election in-charge and have been provided Z-plus security since then. Both leaders engaged in inflammatory and antagonistic remarks against the Jharkhand administration whenever they visited the state, the letter said.
The BJP dismissed the accusations, with Sarma denying any misuse of power. He claimed that the Election Commission would address the matter if the letter was genuine, and urged Jharkhand’s chief minister Hemant Soren to focus on resolving local issues, including providing jobs for the families of youths who died during the excise constable recruitment drive.
“I am not doing any politics. I ask Hemant Soren to reform the state. Give jobs to family members of the youths who died during the excise constable recruitment drive,” the Assam CM said in Ranchi.
The BJP questioned why the JMM government had not filed formal complaints or FIRs against Sarma and Chouhan if their actions were indeed illegal, suggesting that the ruling coalition was acting out of fear of losing the upcoming elections. Leader of the Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri said that political leaders are free to campaign anywhere in India and that the JMM’s accusations were a sign of desperation.
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