Marandi inaugurates new district; code violation, claims Opposition
MANOJ PRASAD

RANCHI, FEB 11: Was it proper for Chief Minister Babulal Marandi to inaugurate the new Latehar district on Sunday morning when he is contesting the February 19 Assembly bypoll from Ramgarh? While the CPI complains that Marandi has violated the Election commission's code of conduct, the BJP claims that the decision to create the new district was taken much before the Election Commission notification.

Soon after Marandi cut the ribbon at Latehar chowk, 90 km from Ramgarh, the CPI office secretary C.D. Singh criticised the decision. ``The new district is going to burden the state exchequer. It is the second time Marandi has violated the election code of conduct. He had violated it earlier when he went to Ramgarh (from Ranchi) to file his nomination papers with a cavalcade of 55 official cars,'' said Singh.

BJP spokesperson U.S. Kedia countered Singh's allegation: ``The decision was taken much before and the sole aim of creating this district was to pave the way for accelerated development in the area.''

``But,'' retorts Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Secretary Shailendra Bhattacharya, ``even if the state government deemed it fit to create a new district, it should have waited for the election to get over.''

Incidentally, before the Jharkhand state was constituted on November 15 last year, the Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav had announced to set up Latehar district.

Latehar, earlier a sub division of the Palamau district, has a population of about four lakh, 30 per cent forest cover, and no industry. The forests are the hotbed of Naxalite activities where two mutually hostile outfits -- People's War Group and Maoist Communist Centre -- hold sway.

Since Latehar falls in the tri-junction of Ranchi, Palamau and Lohardaga, the PWG and the MCC activists have used it as a gateway to these three districts.

Admits Samata Party leader Ashok Singh: ``As a district, Latehar will not only speed up the process of development but also help police functioning in this part of the south Chotanagpur division.''

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.