NEW DELHI, DEC 19: Nearly 200 Congress leaders and workers from Chhotanagpur belt staged a day-long dharna here today demanding the immediate creation of a separate Jharkhand state, comprising 18 districts of South Bihar.They asked Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to introduce a Bill in Parliament in the current session and ensure its passage for creation of Jharkhand State failing which the party would launch a movement. Several office-bearers of the Chhotanagpur Regional Congress Committee, including president Sushila Karketta, working presidents Furkan Ansari and P N Singh and Pradesh Congress vice-president Chandan Bagchi participated in the dharna.
AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar and former Pradesh Congress president Sarfarz Ahmad also joined them for a few minutes in support of their demand.
According to Bagchi, Congress would launch a ``Gandhian Movement'' in the entire Chhotanagpur belt if the Central Government failed to introduce the Bill and get it passed in the current session.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.