Jamshedpur, Dec 24: A newly formed Jharkhand Co-ordination Committee (JCC), comprising of 22 organisations including prominent regional political parties, at a meeting here today resolved to gherao Jharkhand Assembly on December 24 in support of their various demands. Jharkhand People's Party (JPP) supremo, Surya Singh Besra alongwith other representatives of JCC constituents told reporters that JCC, which had played an important role in the Jharkhand movement in 1987, have been revived with an aim to achieve our various demands including domicile policy.

Initially, the 22-member committee was formed at east Singhbhum district level but would be expanded to other districts of Jharkhand phase-wise, he said, adding that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Jharkhand Disom Party were being invited to participate in the JCC. He said apart from JPP, Jharkhand Party (Horo and Naren factions), Jharkhand Vikas Dal, Hul Jharkhand Kranti Dal were the prominent political parties among 22 organisations, which also included non-political groups. Besra said the assembly gherao programme was also aimed to pressurise Jharkhand government to withdraw cases unconditionally against the Jharkhand activists, who had been booked under various sections during Jharkhand movement in the state, and restoration of 73 per cent reservation.

JCC also demanded implementation of panchayat extension to the Schedule Area Act, 1996 and recognition to tribal languages in Jharkhand, he said. Bureau Report