Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said the biggest Tribal festival of the state, 'Sarhul', will be celebrated with traditional fervour, amid protests by various tribal outfits against an under-construction flyover near a ‘Sarna Sthal’, a sacred religious site. The CM responded to a question raised by BJP legislator from Ranchi, C P Singh, in the assembly and assured that the festival will be celebrated with great zeal.
CP Singh asked the CM, "Tribal people have been demanding removal of a flyover ramp being built in Siram Toli, as it reportedly obstructs access to their religious site." "I urge the state government to take steps to resolve this so that the upcoming ‘Sarhul’ festival could be happily celebrated," he added.
Replying to Singh, Soren said he has received information about the issue concerning the flyover ramp. "I assure everyone that the festival of ‘Sarhul’ will be celebrated with traditional fervour" the CM said.
Tribal protest in Jharkhand
The protesting outfits had on Monday staged a 5 km-long "funeral procession" of tribal legislators in Ranchi against the flyover construction near the Sarna Sthal. They had also torched the effigies of 28 tribal legislators. The agitators demanded removal of the ramp, claiming it obstructs access to the religious site and could disturb its sanctity due to frequent traffic movement.
They have also warned of a Ranchi bandh on March 22 if their demand was not met. The 2.34-km-long elevated road, which includes a 132-metre section over a railway line, aims to ease city traffic by connecting Siram Toli to Mecon.
Ruckus in Jharkhand assembly
The Jharkhand assembly also witnessed an uproarious scene over the clash during a Holi procession in Giridih district with BJP legislators trooping into the well of the House and demanding a special debate over the state's law and order situation. As the House assembled around 11 am after the Holi break, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi raised the issue of the Giridih clash on March 14, in which several people were injured and many shops and vehicles were torched.
"This is appeasement politics by the government. The administration was a mute spectator when the incident happened. Now, the police have lodged an FIR against 80 people and arrested 22. A particular community has been targeted in the police action. The case should have been registered against those who created the nuisance," he alleged.
(PTI inputs)