Bharatiya Janata Party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday claimed that the law and order situation in Jharkhand has deteriorated under the Hemant Soren-led government and that “Naxalism is running rampant”.

“I remember how Naxalism in the BJP government had ended,” he said at a state’s party executive committee meeting via video conference. “Today, Naxalism is running rampant. People are being murdered in broad daylight. This is a sign of a weak government.”

He added that the current government was mired in corruption and was indulging in the politics of appeasement.

Nadda said the BJP was not here to do politics to form governments and gain power but it wants to develop the country. “Earlier, we used to fight for an education policy,” he said. “The Narendra Modi government has brought a change to the education policy.” On July 29, the Centre had approved the new National Education Policy, which was an election promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014 and the first one in 34 years.

Advertisement

He further hailed the estwhile Raghubhar Das-led BJP government in the state, listing schemes launched and measures taken by the dispensation, including the Mukhya Mantri Krishi Aashirwad Yojana and giving an extra gas cylinder to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

On the coronavirus pandemic, he praised the party workers for their work. “You [party workers] have distributed around 12.74 lakh food packets, 27 lakh rations kits, 42,000 people have contributed to the PM-CARES fund,” he said. “You have also distributed over 21 lakh face masks and 9 lakh sanitisers.”

The BJP chief asked the workers to promote the “Self-reliant India” initiative and request local and medium businesses to utilise the central government’s 20-lakh crore relief package announced in May. He also advocated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “vocal for local” call. He said that Jharkhand’s culture, heritage and art should be promoted.