By IANS,
Ranchi : Opposition parties in Jharkhand Monday boycotted the state legislature, charging the Shibu Soren government with going soft on Maoist rebels and lacking any definite policy to deal with the problem.
Raising the issue during Question Hour, former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arjun Munda asked if the state government had any policy to deal with the Maoists.
In response, the chief minister said the state government has decided to open 61 new police stations and recruit additional police personnel, while measures for planned development of the state and other things were being considered.
However, the opposition members were not satisfied with the reply, and claimed the Soren government seemed to be indifferent to the Maoist menace.
Citing media reports, the opposition members sought explanations over two Maoist rebels being let off by the police. Denying the reports, Soren said three men were arrested Dec 16 but released as none of them had any cases lodged against them.
However, the opposition members charged the government with attempting to cover up the release of the two Maoist rebels, by picking up three innocent men and later releasing them. Announcing they were not satisfied with the chief minister’s reply, they walked out of the house.
Later, talking to reporters, Munda alleged Soren was soft on Maoist rebels and the state government had no policy to fight the Maoist menace.
“In Jharkhand, security personnel and lawmakers are killed and bank delivery vans looted. No break-through has taken place in any case. What will happen to the state,” he said.