Athawale Targets Hemant Government, Says BJP Will Soon Form Government in Jharkhand

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Thursday stepped up his attack on the Hemant Soren government, claiming that the BJP would soon form its government in Jharkhand.

Athawale, who arrived in Ranchi on a one-day visit to the state, addressed a press conference where he spoke on a range of issues, including Jharkhand politics, student protests, employment, industrial development, reservation and migration. He also recalled his longstanding association with former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM patriarch Shibu Soren.

Recalling his relationship with Shibu Soren, Athawale said the two had shared cordial ties and noted Soren’s role in the movement for a separate Jharkhand state. However, taking a swipe at Chief Minister Hemant Soren, he said the present chief minister did not appear to be as active as his father had been.

On the student protests, Athawale criticised the state government for its handling of the agitation. He said the government should have first engaged with the protesting students and tried to resolve their concerns through dialogue instead of using force.

He also referred to the cancellation of the examination following the protests, saying the decision was subsequently stayed by the court. Athawale claimed that the court had also taken note of irregularities related to the examination and argued that the state government should address the issue seriously and formulate a clear policy to prevent similar controversies in the future.

Focus on jobs and industrial growth

Athawale said Jharkhand needs greater industrial development to generate employment opportunities for its people. He said the Centre could work with the state to attract new industries and create more jobs locally.

Referring to migration from Jharkhand to other states, he said a BJP government would focus on creating employment opportunities within the state so that people would not be forced to leave their homes in search of work.

‘Our government will soon come to Jharkhand’

Asked why the BJP was unable to form the government in Jharkhand despite being in power at the Centre, Athawale said people in the state were already benefiting from various central government schemes.

He cited initiatives related to roads and food distribution and said that although the BJP is not currently in power in the state, “our government will soon come to Jharkhand”.

Athawale also addressed the politically sensitive issue of reservation. He said reservations could be reconsidered if the caste system were completely eliminated from society.

He argued that members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes continue to face disadvantages and lack access to the same educational and social opportunities available to many others. A difference of a few marks in academic performance, he said, should not be used to question their capabilities when the circumstances and facilities available to students are not the same.

‘Representation should reflect population’

Athawale reiterated his support for the principle of “Jiski jitni sankhya, uski utni bhagidari” — representation in proportion to population.

He said reservation would continue to be necessary as long as the caste system persists. He also stressed the need for a caste census to establish reliable population figures for different social groups, arguing that accurate data would help in determining their representation and participation in various sectors.

Athawale’s remarks come amid continued political debate in Jharkhand over employment, reservation and migration, with the BJP seeking to expand its political footprint in the state and challenge the ruling alliance.