SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Oct 7: A political standoff has emerged between Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the BJP over the Gogo Didi Yojana, an initiative by the saffron party.
The BJP’s state president, Babulal Marandi, has reacted strongly to a recent post on X by the Chief Minister on social media, in which Soren directed the deputy commissioners of all districts to file FIRs against individuals involved in the Gogo Didi Yojana. Soren argued that the scheme violates the Model Code of Conduct ahead of the state elections.
In response, Marandi issued a defiant statement, challenging the government to file an FIR against him. He vowed to personally assist women in filling out forms for the Gogo Didi Yojana, stating, “I will go myself and get the forms filled,”
CM calls for action, BJP counters
Chief Minister Soren’s post on X (formerly Twitter) instructed all district DCs to take legal action against those promoting the Gogo Didi Yojana, arguing that the form-filling process breaches the election Model Code of Conduct.
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The BJP’s Gogo Didi Yojana promises to provide ₹2,100 per month to each woman beneficiary, a move seen as a counter to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) Maiyaan Samman Yojana, which offers ₹1,000 per month.
Babulal Marandi responded by accusing Soren of lacking “constitutional knowledge” and pointed out that no election notification for the Jharkhand Assembly has been issued yet. Marandi argued, “Only after the election notification is issued can a ban be imposed on a political party’s popular scheme.”
BJP defends Gogo Didi Yojana amid growing popularity
Marandi further claimed that the Chief Minister is unsettled by the growing popularity of the BJP’s Gogo Didi Yojana and is attempting to disrupt the initiative by harassing BJP workers with false legal cases. “But BJP would not succumb to such tactics and will continue with the scheme,” he stated.
He emphasized that the Gogo Didi Yojana is a critical initiative aimed at empowering women both socially and economically. He also warned Chief Minister Soren, “BJP workers would not fear his coercive action and false cases. In the past, too, cases were filed against BJP workers, but they did not relent.”
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Party workers urged to continue efforts, support from Assam CM
Marandi called on BJP workers across the state to continue visiting homes in their respective areas to help women fill out forms for the scheme, furthering their commitment to the empowerment of women in Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister and BJP Jharkhand election in-charge, Hemanta Biswa Sarma, justified the continuation of the Gogo Didi Yojana, stating that Hemant Soren’s directive constitutes interference in a political party’s organizational work.
Sarma emphasized, “The Model Code of Conduct becomes effective after the declaration of the election notification. Till then, political parties have the right to conduct their programmes. The action of government would be considered interference till we do not violate the law”.
JMM accuses BJP of violating election regulations
On the other side, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) accused the BJP of continuously violating the election Model Code of Conduct, while claiming the Election Commission of India (ECI) has remained passive.
The JMM argued that the Election Commission prohibits form-filling during elections, but the BJP has continued doing so unchecked.
