By IANS,
Ranchi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought a report about the ongoing demolition drive in Jharkhand.
“I raised the demolition issue in the central cabinet meeting Thursday. The prime minister has asked Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P. Chidamabaram to seek a report from the governor,” Subodh Kant Sahay, union tourism minister and Lok Sabha member from Ranchi, told reporters here Friday.
According to reliable sources, Governor M.O.H. Farook has apprised the union home minister about the prevailing situation in Jharkhand.
The ongoing state-wide demolition drive under the directive of Jharkhand High Court has claimed 13 lives and rendered more than 1.20 lakh people homeless.
Seven people, five in Dhanbad and two in Ranchi, were killed in police firing during anti-demolition protests. Also, Six people have died due to shock after they were served notices.
Jharkhand Congress in-charge Shakeel Ahmad told reporters: “The situation is not good in the state. The state is heading towards president’s rule. The Arjun Munda government has turned insensitive and is killing people in the name of demolition.”
He said it is the responsibility of the governor to send reports on the developments to the central government.
Shibu Soren, chief of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government, should also make his stand clear on the ongoing demolition drive, he said.