JMM to oppose Land ordinance: Hemant Soren

Baripada: Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for bringing in ordinance to amend the Land acquisition Act, JMM leader and former chief minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren today said the party would strongly oppose the ordinance in Jharkhand and Odisha.

"JMM will strongly oppose the ordinance to amend land acquisition Act in Jharkhand and Odisha," Soren said at an 'Adivasi mela' (congregation of tribals) here to mark the 'Gurundia Saheed Divas at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district.

Slamming any move to make Aadhar card as a pre-condition to avail stipend for tribal students, he said the step would lead to denial of benefit to many students and the Centre should give up the idea for such a pre-condition.

Terming Odisha minister Sudam Marandi as a "betrayer", Soren said, "Guruji (Shibu Soren) had reposed faith on Marandi and bestowed on him the charge of Odisha. But after reaping all benefit from JMM and people, Marandi jumped to ruling BJD (to become a minister)".

Claiming that only JMM stood for upholding the interests, self-esteem, the rights of tribals and striving for their uplift and well being, Soren alleged that other people in the name of tribals are exploiting the forest dwellers.

Soren criticised the policies of BJD government in Odisha and urged the workers to strengthen the organisation so that it could protect the interest of the tribals.

'Gurundia Saheed Divas' is observed on February 6 as a mark of respect to the martyrs who had laid their lives on this day in 1949 demanding merger of erstwhile Mayurbhanj estate in Bihar instead of Orissa.