Hemant Soren govt has crippled institutions, made illegal DGP appointment: Babulal Marandi

Ranchi, May 23 (IANS) Jharkhand's Leader of Opposition and BJP state President Babulal Marandi on Friday accused the Hemant Soren-led government of deliberately paralysing key constitutional and statutory institutions in the state. 

He also described the appointment of a retired IPS officer as the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) as “illegal”.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters here, Marandi alleged that institutions such as the Lokayukta, the Information Commission, the Women's Commission, and the Consumer Forum -- set up to ensure transparency and justice -- have been rendered defunct under the present regime.

"Where should the public go to report corruption in government departments? If someone has information about the corrupt practices of a minister, MLA, officer, or even an employee of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, who will hear them out?" he asked.

"The post of Lokayukta, meant for exactly such cases, has been kept vacant for the last five years as part of a deliberate conspiracy," he said.

He claimed that the Information Commission has had no Commissioners since 2023, and the post of Chief Information Commissioner has remained vacant for years.

"Thousands of RTI applications are pending because the Commission is completely non-functional," he said.

Marandi said the state government initially cited the absence of a Leader of Opposition as the reason for delaying key appointments.

"But even after my official recognition as Leader of Opposition, there has been no movement on these files," he said.

"This is a calculated move to stifle transparency and accountability in governance," he alleged.

The BJP leader further claimed that both the Chairperson and Members’ posts in the Women’s Commission are lying vacant, with nearly 5,000 cases of atrocities against women pending.

"Employees of the Commission have not been paid salaries for months. In several districts, the Consumer Forum has no Chairperson or Member," he added.

He also slammed the government for allegedly retaining a retired IPS officer as DGP without the required clearance from the Centre.

"The officer has not received an extension from the Central government, yet the state continues to keep him in the post. This is unprecedented,” Marandi said.