Jharkhandis await creation of Vananchal during this session

Jharkhandis await creation of Vananchal during this session
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

RANCHI, FEBRUARY 23: The Jharkhand parties are anxiously awaiting the tabling of the Bihar State Reorganisation Bill as promised by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre in the budget session which began today.

The topic, hogging the limelight in this tribal belt of Bihar, is whether this time the 18 districts of South Bihar are going to attain the status of a separate state.

If promises by the political parties during the electioneering matter, a separate state of Vananchal or Jharkhand, carved out of the 18 districts of Chotanagpur and Santhal Paragana areas of the state, was going to be a reality soon.

The Congress has threatened to storm Parliament, if the former failed to honour its commitment.

Both Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi during their visits to this tribal belt reiterated their commitment of standing for the state's early creation.

Dispelling all doubts Vajpayee has said the state of Vananchal will be a reality within a couple of months. The Bihar State Reorganisation Bill has been sent to the President after the Central Cabinet's approval.

Soon after the installation of the new government in Bihar, the said will be sent to the state legislature for its opinion after which it will be taken up in Parliament.

Sonia talking to newsmen here during her electioneering for the Assembly poll has not only reiterated her party's commitment, but also assured of exerting pressure on the Centre for the early realisation of this regional demand.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan has said the Bill is likely to be tabled in the second half of the budget session, if the opinion of the concerned state legislature, to be formed early next month, is received by then .

According to him, if the ratification by the state legislature is delayed and not received in the budget session, the Centre might even convene a special session of Parliament some time in June to take up the issue of statehood .

BJP national general secretary Govindacharya has gone a step ahead and said it will be the prime duty of his party to ensure that the Centre, which has promised of creating the state, has stood by its commitment.

Assurances regarding the state's creation in the next few months have also given by Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment Babu Lal Marandi. Besides, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP state chief Nand Kishore Yadav and Rajya Sabha member Shatrughan Sinha have announced the creation of Vananchal within six months.

Even the Samata Party, a major ally of the BJP in Bihar, has also extended support to the state's creation. Party chief George Fernandes and senior leader Nitish Kumar during electioneering have promised statehood to the people of this region.

Congress Working Committee member Rajesh Pilot doubting the intention of the NDA on the issue of statehood has threatened to storm Parliament, if required, for the realisation of the Jharkhand. Similar views have also been expressed by AICC spokesmen Ajit Jogi.

Pilot and Jogi while campaigning for the party nominees in this tribal belt have announced that the Congress will ensure that the Centre without any further delay brings the Bill in the budget session and the party will extend unconditional support to the creation of Jharkhand both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The issue has also been strongly taken up during the electioneering by the CPI, the Samajwadi Party, the CPI(ML) and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav reiterating his party's commitment has even assured of mounting pressure in Parliament for the creation of Jharkhand, while NCP president Sharad Yadav has extended all possible support to the state's creation both in Parliament and in the Bihar legislature, to be constituted soon.

However, despite being promised by the national parties, including those in power at the Centre, the Jharkhand-named parties have threatened to wage a decisive battle in the area, if the Centre fails this time to create the state in the budget session itself.

Talking to newsmen here, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren) president Shibu Soren has said as movement is the only option left to the people of Jharkhand for realisation of their demand, the Morcha(S) will mobilise support soon after the elections.