Jamshedpur: In an apparent dig at the JMM, Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Steel and Mines, Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday said the ruling dispensation in Jharkhand seemed to have usurped the role of an opposition.
Without naming the party, Tomar said the showing of black flag by leaders and workers "of a ruling party" during his visit to the state indicated it was fast losing the mandate and hence began acting like an opposition.
Tomar was speaking to the media at Adityapur, about 5 kms from here, in adjoining Seraikela-Kharswan district.
Such type of opposition will not "deter me from discharging my responsibilities," the minister retorted when asked about black flags shown by JMM near the Sonari aerodrum in Jamshedpur earlier in the day.
On reports of booing of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, a JMM leader, by BJP activists during a function attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi on August 21, Tomar maintained enthusiastic BJP workers had raised slogans like "Modi Zindabad" and nothing wrong was said.
The minister asserted there was strong wave in favour of Modi across the country and the focus of the Modi-led government was to foster a State-Centre co-ordination to ensure development of the states as well as the country.
Tomar said Jharkhand, which has plenty of scope for development, needed a strong government, which would be possible under BJP rule after the coming election.
Later, Tomar laid foundation of 100-bed ESIC Hospital to be built at a cost of Rs 99 crores in Adityapur.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Tomar said the proposed hospital would benefit large number of labourers and their families.
He said the government has proposal to form a State Level ESIC Committee, which could spend for welfare works upto Rs 50 lakh without looking at the approval of the government.
The minister said the government was also contemplating to bring in reforms in the labour laws.
