THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, August 29: The Jharkhand unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its attack on the Hemant Soren government, submitting two separate memoranda to Governor Santosh Gangwar on issues it described as “grave injustices” against tribals and farmers.
The first memorandum relates to the alleged fake encounter of tribal leader Surya Hansda in Godda district. The BJP has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, alleging that Hansda’s killing on 11 August was a “planned murder” disguised as a police operation. The second memorandum calls for an immediate halt to the construction of RIMS 2 hospital on fertile tribal land in Nagdi, Ranchi, accusing the government of forcibly acquiring Raiyat land in violation of the law.
Demand for CBI probe into Hansda’s death
The BJP stated that Hansda, a four-time Assembly candidate from Borio and a prominent social worker, was picked up by police on 10 August from his relative’s house in Deoghar and killed the next day in Lalmatia, Mahagama. His family alleged that he was suffering from typhoid at the time, was neither produced before a court nor given a medical test, and that the supposed encounter site bore no trace of blood.
While police labelled Hansda a dreaded criminal, the BJP countered that he had never been convicted in any case. Of the 24 cases filed against him, he had been acquitted in 14 and was on bail in the rest. The party highlighted his contributions to education through running a school for poor tribal children and his campaigns against illegal mining and land grab.
“Surya Hansda was not a criminal but a sensitive social and political worker. His death raises serious questions about the nexus between politics, police and the mafia in Jharkhand,” the memorandum noted. The BJP said that Hansda’s family and lawyer now feel threatened and urged the Governor to direct the state government to order a CBI inquiry and provide protection to them.
Opposition to RIMS 2 on farmers’ land
In its second memorandum, the BJP opposed the government’s move to construct a new RIMS 2 hospital on fertile agricultural land in Nagdi. The party argued that the land belongs to Raiyat farmers, has never been legally acquired, and is the only source of livelihood for thousands of tribal families.
On 24 August, when farmers attempted to cultivate their fields in protest, police allegedly resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse them. Calling it an “undeclared emergency,” the BJP accused the government of trying to suppress democratic voices and acting in favour of contractors.
The party cited Section 24(2) of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, which states that incomplete acquisitions without compensation are invalid and the land should be returned. It further criticised the government for filing cases against dozens of farmers, many of them women, and registering FIRs against “unknown persons” to intimidate locals.
The BJP also raised concerns about press freedom, pointing out that two journalists, including a woman, were picked up by police from Argora without a warrant on 23 August and barred from reporting on the Nagdi agitation.
Reiterating that it is not against building hospitals, the BJP said the government should use available barren land rather than displacing tribals. “We are not against RIMS 2, or even RIMS 5, but we oppose the snatching of farmers’ fertile land,” the party stated.
Governor urged to intervene
Concluding both memoranda, the BJP urged Governor Santosh Gangwar to intervene in what it called “systemic injustice under the Soren government.” The party demanded a CBI probe into Hansda’s death, protection for his family, immediate cancellation of cases against Nagdi farmers, and a halt to construction on disputed land.
“These two issues reflect the government’s anti-tribal, anti-farmer stance. It is the Governor’s responsibility to ensure that truth prevails and justice is delivered,” the BJP memorandum stated.
