After Maharashtra and Haryana Chief Ministers, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was booed by crowds in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in Ranchi on Thursday to inaugurate a power project.
The audience, which included BJP activists, chanted ‘Modi, Modi’ as soon as Mr. Soren, the JMM leader who runs a coalition with the Congress and the RJD, took the microphone. Mr. Soren, however, continued his speech as Mr. Modi waved at the people for restraint. The shouts, however, carried on all through Mr. Soren’s speech.
The war of words between the Congress and the BJP escalated over the issue as the Jharkhand Chief Minister, an ally of the Congress, alleged that heckling of opponents by BJP supporters at government functions in the presence of the Prime Minister amounted to “rape” of the delicate Centre-State relations. Later on Thursday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister boycotted Mr. Modi’s function in Nagpur. The Congress leaders were, however, silent on whether there was a directive from the party high command not to attend the Prime Minister’s programmes.
“No such direction is required to be given,” Ms. Ambika Soni said, stressing that both Mr. Chavan and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who too vowed not to attend any event with Mr. Modi in future, are experienced leaders. She, however, stood solidly behind the Congress Chief Ministers. “Whatever they (the chief ministers) have done is right,” she said. “If the Prime Minister wants to do anything of a political nature, he should hold a political meeting and not do it at government expense,” said Mr. Ahmed.
People’s verdict: BJP The BJP rejected the charge with party spokesman Nalin Kohli saying the Congress needed to do “honest” introspection. “The mandate of India is a testimony to the fact that people want governance and not promises,” he said, adding, “The BJP getting a clear mandate is a testimony to the failure of what had been there earlier.”
