Ranchi: Rejecting Jharkhand Chief Minister
Arjun Munda`s request to call off his hunger strike, JVM-P
chief Babulal Marandi continued his fast-unto-death which
entered the sixth day on Friday.
A diabetic, the former chief minister began the hunger
strike on May 1, demanding that a special Assembly session be
convened to pass a bill that would protect the people who had
been displaced or face the threat of displacement following
encroachment in government land.
Marandi had yesterday said the first round meeting between
his party representatives and Munda had "failed", but added
that he was ready to continue further dialogue in the interest
of the displaced.
Munda said he had already given sanction, "on behalf of the
cabinet", to bring in an ordinance that would protect the
people who had deviated from official design.
But Marandi insisted to convene a special session of the
state Assembly to discuss the outline of a bill to prevent any
violent incidents in future as was witnessed last month in
Ranchi and Dhanbad during anti-encroachment drive in which six
persons were killed.
PTI