The Congress party has launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaign in Jharkhand, demanding answers on what they perceive as unfulfilled promises. Congress General Secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, has challenged the Prime Minister to address three crucial issues before seeking votes in the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections.
Ramesh focused his criticism on the lack of progress on vital infrastructure projects, particularly the long-awaited Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines. He highlighted that despite years of pleas from residents of Lohardaga and Chatra for improved rail connectivity, which would provide better access to education and employment opportunities, the Railway Ministry has made minimal progress. He pointed out that while the Chatra-Gaya rail project was sanctioned in October 2022, no tangible progress has been made in the intervening two years. The Korba-Lohardaga line remains in limbo, with no concrete updates, according to Ramesh.
He went on to question the Prime Minister’s commitment to the promised development of educational institutions in the state. During his 2014 election campaign for the Jharkhand Assembly, Modi had pledged a range of industrial and educational projects, including a premier IT institution and several engineering colleges. Ramesh recalled that only two institutions were ever established – NIELIT Ranchi and CIPET Khunti. However, even these institutions, established nine and seven years ago respectively, still lack permanent campuses. In contrast, he noted that the Congress-led government under Dr. Manmohan Singh had established high-quality institutions like IIM Ranchi and a Central University.
The Congress leader also accused Modi of failing to deliver on his promise of enacting the Sarna code, a long-standing demand of tribal communities in Jharkhand. The Sarna code seeks to officially recognize the distinct religious identity of followers of the Sarna faith, a major tribal religion in the region. The Congress alleges that Modi’s government has refused to recognize the Sarna faith, leading to a dilemma for adherents who now face the choice of leaving the religion column in the census blank or aligning themselves with existing religions.
Ramesh asserted that despite assurances from former BJP Chief Minister Raghubar Das of enacting the Sarna code by 2021, no progress has been made. He highlighted that the demand for a Sarna code is rooted in the tribes’ aspiration for official recognition as a distinct religious community. He posed a direct question to Modi, asking if he would address this issue and fulfill his promise of enacting the Sarna code.
Ramesh’s comments come amidst the ongoing campaign for the Jharkhand Assembly elections, scheduled for November 13th and 20th. The counting of votes is slated for November 23rd. The Congress’s attack on Modi and his perceived broken promises is likely to fuel the political discourse in the lead-up to the crucial election.
