BJP smashed backbones of poor states; squeezed J'khand like lemon: Hemant Soren RANCHI: In a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP , Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday accused the saffron party of "squeezing the state like a lemon" for almost two decades and "smashing" the backbones of poor states. He also charged the BJP-led Centre with "destroying" the federal structure of the country by creating "double engine governments" through "poaching of MLAs, MPs, and toppling governments". "BJP squeezed Jharkhand like a lemon in the last 20 years, but this has to end now.
We feed the cow and they milk it. This cannot be allowed anymore. They plundered Jharkhand's wealth.
It is a paradox that Jharkhand, rich in mineral resources, is one of the poorest states," Soren claimed in an exclusive interview with PTI. "We are rich in resources - coal, iron ore, bauxite, dolomite - but our revenue collection is hampered by the central government's GST regime, which smashed the backbones of states like Jharkhand. It did nothing to address our financial needs," he alleged.
Soren said despite writing to PM Narendra Modi repeatedly, the Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the state were yet to be cleared. He charged the BJP with acting on a "fixed agenda of divisive politics, Hindu-Muslim polarisation, and communal hatred to grab power", claiming that it is the misfortune of the country that healthy political competition was being wiped out.
"They have no agenda for development, employment.
